Child of the Crimson Moon
by M.Blade
Summary: Not many stories seem to focus on Kaolla Su, this is one of them. Slightly AU, hope you enjoy! [Completed!]
1. Eternal Youth

AN: Greetings to you all. I've actually been in the fanfiction biz for a bit now, and always am eager to read up on others' creative writing. As the title of the story indicates, this story will focus a lot more on Hinata-Sou's resident (mad)genius Kaolla Su. And before anyone gets bent out of shape regarding the setup, it is slightly AU, with the younger residents just slightly older and more mature.  
  
As always, Love Hina and all its characters belong to Ken Akamatsu.   
  
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Child of the Crimson Moon  
  
Chapter 1: Eternal Youth  
  
Ten years ago...  
  
Two adults watched on as a group of children played on a beach, the setting sun casting an orange hue over everything. The group of children consisted of two boys and two girls, and playing a game of "London Bridge is falling down." The two boys formed the bridge, and to anyone else would've easily mistaken them for twins. The only subtle differences between the two was that one had a slightly deeper skin tone, and has green eyes while the other has brown eyes.  
  
The girls were laughing as they scrambled to avoid the bridge coming down on them. Both have a deep skin tone like one of the boys and green eyes to match, but while one has long silver hair, the other had shorter blond hair. The boys suddenly lowered their arms, trapping the blond girl between them, seconds later the group was tumbling in the sand, laughing and tickling each other.  
  
Sighing, one of the adults broke the silence between them.  
  
"They seem so happy together, don't they?" Seeing the other nod, he continued. "Are you sure you won't change your mind, Mr. Urashima? We do have a wonderful school system here in Molmol for your son."  
  
"Thank you for the offer, your Majesty." The other man replied. "But my son's mother is quite insistent that I bring him back to Japan, and you know how stubborn women can be." The comment drew a chuckle from them both as they walked towards the children, who were just getting up from the sand.  
  
Seeing the adults, all the smiles dimmed from the children's faces as they realized what was going to happen. The yound boy with lighter skin looked up at the adults sadly. "Is it time already?" The adults nodded, causing the group of children to lower their eyes. "Can I at least say goodbye to my friends?" The young boy asked.  
  
"Of course, we'll wait for you in the limo."  
  
As the adults walked away, the children hugged together with tearful eyes. After saying their goodbyes, the blond haired girl walked up to the boy, pulling a necklace out from under her dress and offering it to him.  
  
"For you, big brother." She said with a tearful sniffle. "It's the red moon and silver star which we pray to."  
  
"But I don't have anything to give you in return..." He began, but was silenced as she clasped the necklace around his neck and hugged him tightly.  
  
"Just don't forget about me, Keitaro." The girl whispered. "That's all I want..."  
  
"I won't, Kaolla..." The boy hugged her back.  
  
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Present Day...  
  
Climbing up a flight of steps which seemed to lead into the skies itself, a man in his early twenties scratched the back of his head in confusion. His brown eyes scanned over the fax his family received earlier in the morning. Sighing as he realized he barely climbed half of the steps, he pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose and continued on.   
  
'It's been ages since I've been to Hinata-Sou...' The young man thought to himself as he pocketed the paper back into his long coat, 'I wonder why Granny Hina just asked me to come here out of the blue today...?'  
  
Finally reaching the top, the young man took in the majestic view of the Hinata-Sou. The building remained the same pristine shape as it did when he was a child, and the sakura trees on its grounds offered a tranquil setting. Smiling to himself, he opened the front shoji screen door and glanced inside.  
  
"Granny Hina? Aunt Haruka?" Raising an eyebrow in confusion, the young man looked around a bit more. "Anyone home...?" He continued wandering the seeming deserted halls until he saw a sign above a door:  
  
'Hot Spring'  
  
"Hmm... oh well, mind as well have a soak while I wait for Granny to get back..."  
  
Minutes later, the young man was relaxing in the soothing waters of the hot spring. Just as he was about to close his eyes, a sound nearby indicated that someone had joined him in the springs.  
  
"Oh, I didn't know you were in here too Kitsune."  
  
'Oh crap!' The young man tensed up instantly, though the steam from the spring blocked both people's view, the voice definetly belonged to a female. 'I've got to get out of here before she thinks I'm a peeping tom!' His escape attempt was halted as the woman settled down next to him.  
  
"You know, I think my breasts have gotten slightly bigger. What do you think?" The woman nudged him playfully, then paused. "Say Kitsune, you've been working out recently or something...?" She began tracing her fingers over his body, until...  
  
"Ahhh! Pervert!"  
  
Scrambling through the halls as fast as his feet can carry him, the young man ran for his life with only a towel covering him. Numerous objects like washing baskets, brushes, and even soap flew past his head, with some finding their mark. Turning a corner, he plowed into another woman who was carrying a basket of laundry. The young man continued running, leaving the woman stunned in a pile of undergarments.  
  
"Kitsune! Did that pervert hurt you?"   
  
Extracting herself from the pile, the woman dusted off her loose shirt and jeans. Turning to the speaker, she smiled mischeiviously. Her eyes narrowed to the point where it seems closed, hidden beneath shortly cropped silver-blond hair.  
  
"Pervert? I thought he was the stripper you hired to entertain us tonight, Naru." Kitsune's smile seemed to widen even more as she watched her friend's expression.  
  
"Kitsune! You're horrible!" Naru exclaimed, her body covered only by a towel. Her golden brown hair cascaded down her back, with two strands poking up front like antanne. Her brown eyes narrowed as she cracked her knuckles. "Come on, lets go find that guy and teach him a lesson!"  
  
Meanwhile, the young man sprinted into the living room, to his delight an elderly woman and a younger woman just entered the room, with the latter carrying groceries. Both seemed surprised as he latched onto the younger woman's feet.  
  
"Granny Hina, Aunt Haruka! You've gotta save me!" He groveled, and grimaced as a foot stomped down on the back of his head, the force cracking the hardwood floor.  
  
"Just Haruka, Keitaro." The younger woman watched as her nephew climbed to his feet. Her dark brown hair was cropped short, and her matching eyes shone with amusement as she took a drag from a cigarette. Crossing her arms over her black and white dress, she raised an eyebrow. "And just what exactly do you need saving from, dear nephew?"  
  
Her question was promptly answered as the two women earlier also came into the room. "Haruka! Get away from that pervert!" Naru called out, as she prepared to punch him into the lower atmosphere. Kitsune merely stood by with an amused grin.   
  
"Hold on a moment, Naru." The elderly woman suddenly spoke, causing everyone to stop and look at her. Though she stood barely above three feet tall and wore a traditional kimono, her gentle voice carried an air of authority that left no room for arguement. "I believe I can explain everything..."  
  
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"...So it's now an all girls' dorm. That explains everything." Having gotten dressed, the group now sat at the dining room table. Wearing a simple T-shirt and jeans, Keitaro bowed apologetically to the two young women. "I'm really sorry about everything Miss Narusegawa, Miss Konno."  
  
"No need to be so formal, you're making me sound old." Kitsune smiled, her eyes still the slits from before. "Just call me Kitsune, everyone else here does." She then nudged Naru, who now wore a yellow sweater and a short orange skirt. "Come on girl, lighten up on the guy." Keitaro then turned to Naru, and sighed inwardly as she turned away with a 'hmph.'  
  
"Even if I do forgive him," Naru spoke as she turned to the elderly woman. "Why did you invite your Grandson to our girl's dorm anyhow?"  
  
Granny Hina smiled as she sipped from a teacup. "I've been planning a trip to see the world for some time now, and since Hinata-Sou needs a landlord to keep in business..." She then tossed a set of keys to Keitaro, who caught it with a look of surprise. "I've decided to let Keitaro be the acting landlord in my absence."  
  
A moment of silence hung over the room before Naru slammed the table angrily with her hands. "Absolutely not! How can a perverted, good for nothing peeping tom like him be our landlord?" She glared at Keitaro as she spoke, causing him to shrink under the table. "Not to mention the fact that he's a guy whereas this is a girl's dorm!"  
  
"So why don't we let the tenants vote on this?" Everyone turned to Haruka, who puffed out a small cloud of smoke. "Majority rules, and Motoko doesn't count since she's not present to vote." Haruka added as Naru was about to speak.  
  
"Fine!" Naru grumbled. "I'm making it clear that I don't want him here!"   
  
"Does him staying mean he has to do all the chores?" Kitsune asked Haruka, and seeing her nod, the fox-eyed woman grinned. "Well then, I want him to stay!" This earned a glare from Naru.  
  
"Tied game so far, Keitaro." Haruka took another drag from her cigarette.  
  
Everyone was interrupted by the sound of a screen door closing. "I'm home!"  
  
'That voice...!' Keitaro's eyes widened as he stood. '...It can't be!'  
  
"Ah, another tenant." Granny Hina smiled, "I guess we will have a decision right now."  
  
As the tenant walked in, the woman looked almost as he remembered ten years ago. Her hair was golden blond and cropped short, with big emerald green eyes beaming with energy. Her tanned skin along with her feminine curves made her look attractive, and her appearance was enhanced further by her choice of a red baby-tee and jean shorts.  
  
"Can you believe it? No one in the area sells plutonium! How am I supposed to..." The woman stopped as Keitaro's eyes met with hers.  
  
"Kaolla...?"  
  
"Keitaro...?"  
  
With a leap that seemed to defy physics, Kaolla leapt over the table and bowled Keitaro to the floor. The pair laughed as Kaolla hugged him close and showered kisses on his cheeks, causing everyone but Naru to smile at the reunion.  
  
"Hey!" Naru fumed, "What the heck do you think you're doing to Kaolla, you lecher?"  
  
"Lecher?" Kaolla gave Naru a confused look, then smiled and hugged Keitaro closer. "What are you talking about? He's like a big brother to me!" The comment sent Naru reeling back a step in disbelief, while Granny Hina chuckled.  
  
"I think I already know the answer, but..." Haruka turned to Kaolla, who was being helped up by Keitaro. "What do you feel about Keitaro being landlord while Granny goes on vacation?"  
  
"You kidding?" Kaolla laughed, "I'd love it! Now he can help me out with my experiments!"  
  
"Looks like it's settled, then." Granny Hina smiled, as Naru muttered something about traitors while eyeing Kitsune and Kaolla. "Keitaro, I'll need to see you later tonight to give you instructions regarding being the landlord."  
  
"Of course, Granny." Keitaro nodded, then smiled as Kaolla took his hand and led him away from the group.  
  
"Come on! I get to show you the latest invention I've been working on!" Kaolla smiled.  
  
"Sis..." Kaolla blushed slightly at hearing his old nickname for her. "Last time you wanted me to use your experiment, my tricycle blew up..."  
  
"Bah, wuss!" Kaolla laughed as she kicked him into her room, then closed the screen door behind her.  
  
"Just another wacky day at Hinata-Sou, eh?" Kitsune smiled at Haruka, who merely nodded while taking another drag from her cigarette.  
  
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Like? No like? Please review!  
  
Constructive flaming is welcome, but I'm hoping that people are mature enough not to bash a story "because they can." Thanks! 


	2. All is fair in love and cooking?

AN: Hey folks, I'm back. As many of you probably surmised from the genre and previous chapter, this will most likely be a Kaolla/Keitaro fic. Once again, before any large sharp objects are thrown my way, please remember that this storyline is slightly AU. Hope you enjoy!  
  
As always, Love Hina and all its characters belong to Ken Akamatsu. _______________________________________________________________________  
  
Child of the Crimson Moon  
  
Chapter 2: All is fair in love and... cooking?  
  
Despite multiple complaints made by Naru regarding Keitaro, Granny Hina departed the next morning for her vacation with the blessing of the residents. While there is still an undercurrent of tension between Naru and the new landlord, things began smoothing over after several days. True to Kitsune's vision, Keitaro launched himself into the chores of the Hinata- Sou landlord. Each day is spent polishing the hardwood floor, cleaning the hot spring, or wiping the windows.  
  
Over time, Keitaro also began to get used to the quirks of each tenant. He knew from day one to keep an eye out for Kitsune, who seemed eager to use her womanly charms to con him out of money or sake, which she can seem to drink gallons of without even feeling its effects...  
  
Naru, while still semi-hostile towards him, has become more relaxed in her views towards him. She was on vacation from her high school, and is set to graduate in a month. As with all soon to be graduates, she secluded herself in her room most of the time, studying for the dreaded entrance exam that she will take in order to apply for a university. This has allowed Keitaro to avoid any confrontations with her...  
  
As for Kaolla, well...  
  
"Um, sis..." Keitaro raised an eyebrow as he watched over her shoulder, a sweat drop on the back of his head. "...Wouldn't that be a bit much for the other girls?"  
  
"Nonsense!" Kaolla smiled back at him, wearing a chef's apron as she labored over the kitchen stove. "This here is exacly how the Molmol royal family eats! Think of it as a treat for you, big brother!"  
  
"You're too kind to me, you know that?" Smiling, Keitaro kissed the top of her head softly as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Blushing, Kaolla smiled and closed her eyes, resting back in his arms. Though the moment only lasted for barely a minute, she savored every second of it.  
  
"Alright landlord..." Kaolla smiled as she pulled away from him. "Why don't you go setup the table and call the others? Lunch will be served soon."  
  
"Hey, don't I get to sample a taste?" Keitaro grinned.  
  
"Get out!" Kaolla grinned back as she snapped a wet washcloth at his rear, causing him to yelp and scramble from the kitchen to his appointed tasks...  
  
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Having cooked up a feast, Keitaro decided to invite Haruka over for lunch as well. Soon everyone began digging in, but after the first bite...  
  
Naru, Kitsune, and Haruka scrambled over one another towards the kitchen sink. Each of them downing a large amount of water before slumping to the side. Keitaro and Kaolla watched the three, then shrugged at each other and continued eating.  
  
"Need... antacid..." Kitsune mumbled weakly.  
  
"That was... something new..." Haruka coughed.  
  
"What in the world was that, Kaolla?" Naru gasped after her fifth cup of water.  
  
"It's a delicacy from my home country!" Kaolla beamed proudly, as the other three women frowned at the sight of the dishes. All of them was soaked in a lava red soup of some sort, while most gave off an aroma which burnt one's nose. "Besides, Keitaro likes it!"  
  
"Say, you two never really explained how you know each other from before..." Kitsune smiled, sitting back at the table. "I want to know why you two are close like siblings."  
  
"Well, that's kinda a long story..." Keitaro replied, looking embarassed.  
  
"We've got awhile." Haruka lit up a cigarette, as she and Naru returned to the table. "My stomach needs to recover."  
  
"Well..." Keitaro scratched his chin, trying to remember the past...  
  
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Ten years ago...  
  
Young Keitaro smiled happily as he rode his tricycle through a beautiful garden, taking in the view of every bush which was shaped into either an animal or an important person. The garden seemed to span as far as the eye could see, but this didn't bother the young nature lover.  
  
"Gangway! Coming through!"  
  
Surprised, Keitaro looked behind him before his eyes bugged out in shock. He began pedaling as fast as he could, but was nontheless trampled over by what appeared to be a mechanical horse. The young girl riding it quickly reined it to a stop and dismounted, a sweatdrop forming on the back of her head as she saw Keitaro's legs sticking through a bush.  
  
"Oopsies, sorry about that!" The girl smiled as she pulled him out of the bush, the carefree look on her face changing into one of horror as she studied his face. "Oh no! Big brother! I'll get Big sister to fix you up!" Sprinting as fast as she could, she dragged poor little Keitaro along by the arm. Mere seconds later she arrived at what appeared to be a large palace, gasping for breath.  
  
"Big sis! Big sis!" The young girl called out, and was relieved as another girl came up to her. "Big brother's hurt!"  
  
"What are you talking about, Kaolla?" The other girl replied, "And why did you drag that boy here?"  
  
"Huh?" Blinking, Kaolla then realized that there was another boy standing by her sister. The boy looked identical in almost every way as Keitaro, but was slightly more tanned and had green eyes instead. Helping Keitaro to his feet, she then noticed that he had paler skin and brown eyes.  
  
"Ah, you must be the Japanese ambassador's son." The darker boy smiled and offered to shake hands with Keitaro. "I'm Ramba Su, and I'm sorry about the misunderstanding."  
  
"No biggie. My name's Keitaro." The Japanese boy smiled and shook his hand, then looked at the two girls.  
  
"Ah, where's my manners?" Ramba smiled. "This is my sister, Amalla Su." The older girl nodded to Keitaro. "And I believe you've already met Kaolla Su, my other sister." The younger girl beamed and latched onto Keitaro, making him struggle to breathe for a second.  
  
"Goodie!" Kaolla smiled at Keitaro. "So does this mean you'll be my other Big brother and play with me?"  
  
"Kaolla!" Amalla began to protest, but was restrained by Ramba's hand. He shook his head slightly with a smile, indicating he didn't mind.  
  
"Um, I guess?" Keitaro chuckled nervously, then went bug eyed as Kaolla dragged him away, sprinting towards the gardens.  
  
"Yay! Come on, let's go fix your bike!"  
  
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Present day...  
  
Naru stared at Kaolla with a look of disbelief, while Kitsune was rolling on the floor with laughter. Haruka was trying her best to hold her poker face, but was struggling not to join Kitsune in laughter.  
  
"You mean that you guys met because you mistook this dumb pervert as your older brother?" Naru asked with an raised eyebrow, while Keitaro looked as if he got smashed with boulders over his head at the words 'dumb' and 'pervert.'  
  
"Hey now, he's not a pervert!" Kaolla pouted, and Keitaro smiled, happy that she was defending him. "Although he is kinda dumb sometimes..." Kaolla added while tapping her chin, as Keitaro crashed to the ground with the force of a boulder twice the size of what Naru's comments were.  
  
"Kaolla!" Keitaro leapt to his feet, nearly embarrassed to tears. But he soon calmed down as Kaolla smiled sweetly at him, indicating she was only joking.  
  
"Well, thanks for the meal Kaolla." Keitaro smiled at her and began cleaning the dishes, "I guess I'll clean up the hot spring after this, then go do some studying."  
  
"That's right!" Haruka exclaimed, puffing a cloud of smoke out. "This is your second year at Toudai, ain't it?"  
  
"Toudai?!" Leaping across the table, Naru grabbed Keitaro's collar and gaped at him. "You mean you're a Toudai student? The most prestigous university in Japan?"  
  
"Er... is that bad?" Keitaro chuckled nervously.  
  
"You're helping me study later tonight!" Naru exclaimed as she shook him violently, her tone indicating that she wouldn't take 'no' for an answer.  
  
Kitsune's ears rang with the sound of money, and she grinned evily to herself. 'Well how about that?' She thought, 'Our landlord is probably studying to be a lawyer or something! All I have to do is play my cards right, and I'll be set for life! But first...'  
  
"Hey Mister Toudai!" Blinking, Keitaro turned to Kitsune. "Would you be a dear and go buy a few bottles of sake for me?"  
  
"Kitsune..." Keitaro frowned at her as everyone else had already left. "You know drinking that much isn't too healthy."  
  
"Fine then." Kitsune grinned, "But I wonder how Naru will react when I 'inform' her of the naughty magazines you have in your closet?"  
  
Keitaro stiffened in fear, then lowered his head in defeat. "Fine, I'll get your sake..."  
  
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Hours later, Keitaro sat on a bench overseeing a bridge near the Hinata shopping district. Just as he was grumbling over the amount he spent on Kitsune's sake, he noticed the sound of someone crying, and looked across from him to see a woman dressed in a high school junior's outfit in tears.  
  
'She looks so sad...' Keitaro thought, 'It'd be so much better if she didn't have to cry.'  
  
Silently, he took out a sketchbook from his bag. It was a hobby he took up when he was little to pass time, and began sketching the young woman with a smile instead of tears. In mere moments, he was able to capture her face perfectly, from the short hair that seemed to give off a dark blue hue, to her sparkling blue eyes.  
  
Just as he began admiring his own work, a strong gust of wind blew the book out of his hands. With a gasp from both sides, they realized that the book had landed at the woman's feet, the page with her picture seemingly staring back at her.  
  
"But... why...?" The woman sniffled, looking up at Keitaro with wide eyes.  
  
"Ack! Bad hand, bad!" Keitaro smacked his own hand and laughed nervously, then decided to run for it before making himself even a bigger fool.  
  
'He forgot his book...' The woman thought as she picked the said object up, then tried to imitate the smile in the picture. Shaking her head sadly, she looked at the back of the book, and decided to return the book to the address listed there...  
  
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Having made it back to Hinata-Sou, Keitaro grumbled again as he put the bottles of sake in Kitsune's 'stash' before grabbing some cleaning supplies and headed towards the hot spring.  
  
Moments later, a knock at the front door attracted the resident slacker, and Kitsune opened the door to find the blue haired high schooler. "Well hello there!" Kitsune smiled, "I guess you've come to get a room here at the girl's dorm, hmm?"  
  
"Erm..." The woman blinked, "Actually, I came to return something to a Mister Urashima, is he in?" Kitsune was about to reply when both women sniffed the air. "Is something on fire?" The woman inquired, and after sharing a look, the two sprinted towards the kitchen.  
  
The two arrived to what appeared to be a disaster area, with burnt food on the stove and cutting board. Kaolla was present as well, holding a fire extingusher with wide eyes. The three looked at Naru, who was apparently attempting to cook dinner and was failing horribly.  
  
"This sucks!" Naru wailed, "How am I supposed to do this?!"  
  
The newcomer merely blinked, then looked at Naru. "This is actually salvageable. Do you have any fresh vegetables?" Seeing her nod, the woman smiled. "Excellent, we'll just need to do a few small changes, and the food will be fine!"  
  
With that all three tenants pitched in to help the woman cook, never once questioning her kindness...  
  
An hour later, Keitaro emerged from cleaning the hot spring to find a feast at the dining table. Looking around, he also saw the woman from earlier and smiled nervously. "Oh, hello again..." Keitaro stammered, "I'm really sorry about earlier."  
  
"It's alright, no harm done." The woman replied with a small smile, making Keitaro happier as she returned his book to him.  
  
"She's a great cook too!" Kitsune exclaimed, "I'd probably jump the bridge if I had to stand more of Naru and Kaolla's cooking..."  
  
"It's not that bad, slacker!" The two said women yelled at the fox, who grinned back shamelessly.  
  
"Is that so?" Keitaro blinked, then looked at the young woman. "We'd be happy if you'd stay for dinner, Miss...?"  
  
"Shinobu." The woman smiled. "My name is Shinobu Maehara."  
  
Moments later, the group was enjoying the culinary heaven that Shinobu created for them. While everyone seemed happy and carefree, Shinobu was quiet and shy. After a moment of gathering her courage, the master cook decided to speak.  
  
"Mister Urashima?" Everyone stopped talking and turned towards her. "I heard earlier that this is a girl's dorm, is that true?" Seeing him nod, she continued. "If that's the case, do you mind if I get a room here?" Everyone then turned to the landlord to hear his reply.  
  
"I don't see why not..." Keitaro shrugged with a smile. "Are your parents fine with you staying here though?" Seeing her expression saddening, he began to wonder whether he put his foot in his mouth.  
  
"My parents have been divorced for nearly a year now." Shinobu replied quietly. "I've been staying at a couple of my friends' houses all this time, but I don't want to be a burden...."  
  
The room became deathly silent, no one knew what to say...  
  
"Hey! I just had a great idea!" Kitsune suddenly exclaimed with a smile. "Seeing as Shinobu here is probably a bit low on cash for rent, why don't we let her take over cooking for us in exchange?"  
  
"Sounds like a plan! If that's okay with you of course." Seeing Shinobu nod, Keitaro smiled, then shook her hand. "Welcome to Hinata-Sou, Miss Maehara!"  
  
"Just Shinobu will be fine, Mister Urashima." Shinobu blushed lightly. "No need to be so formal."  
  
"Only if you call me Keitaro in exchange, deal?" Shinobu nodded again shyly, and dinner past with smiles and laughter.  
  
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Lying on his futon late at night, the landlord yawned and was about to sleep when he heard the door to his room open, then sliding shut. He knew that only one tenant would enter his room before asking permission, but didn't mind her at all.  
  
"Yes, Kaolla?" Keitaro looked up at the young woman, but was surprised to see her teary eyed. Calmly, he sat up and hugged her close, not even noticing that all she wore was an over sized T-shirt and her underwear. "Hey, what's wrong sis...? You can tell me." He comforted her gently, stroking her hair and holding her close.  
  
"Just a nightmare..." Kaolla sniffled quietly, then looked into his eyes. "You mind if I sleep with you, like old times...?" Were any of the other tenants to ask him that, his hormones would've easily killed him. But with Kaolla, he simply smiled and nodded, wiping the tears from her face before settling back into bed.  
  
Resting quietly for a few minutes, Kaolla looked up to see that Keitaro already drifted to sleep. Smiling warmly with a small blush, she brushed her lips lightly against his before resting beside him again.  
  
"Good night, my loving brother..." Kaolla whispered with a contented smile, drifting into blissful sleep without nightmares...  
  
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Like? No like? Please review!  
  
To praise the author, or to murder him for poor writing? Your opinions count! ^_^ 


	3. The Sword of HinataSou

AN: Hey there. My thanks to all the kind words from the reviewers, all I'm doing is transfeering what I see in my dreams into writing. Guess in a way it fits FF.net's slogan, eh? For those who've stuck on long enough to read this: My initial thought as to Kaolla and Shinobu's age would place them somewhere around seventeen to eighteen, while everyone else would stay roughly where they're at.  
  
As Always, Love Hina and its characters belong to Ken Akamatsu. _______________________________________________________________________  
  
Child of the Crimson Moon  
  
Chapter 3: The sword of Hinata-Sou  
  
As the morning sun began to shine down upon Hinata-Sou, Naru is seen studying away at three textbooks in front of her all at once. Notes, flash cards, and study guides were strewn all around her. Sighing in defeat, she glanced over at a panel of wood with a stuffed toy on top. The stuffed toy resembled a cartoon gopher, and was called Liddo-kun. It was a popular cartoon series in the past with children, and she had the toy ever since two years old. Deciding that she would ask the resident Toudai student for additional tutoring, she lifted up the panel, revealing a hole which connected her room with his...  
  
"Hey Keitaro?" Naru poked her head through, "I was wondering if you could help me with..."  
  
Her question came to a screeching halt as she realized that Kaolla was in the same bed as the landlord, with their arms around each other. Putting two and two together, she growled in anger as she leapt down the hole.  
  
"How dare you take advantage of Kaolla, you pervert?!" She yelled, and with a kick that would make the Brazilian soccer team jealous, punted Keitaro through the screen door, causing him to ricochet off the balcony railing outside and roll down the nearby stairs. She was still seething with anger when Kaolla cleared her throat, and turned towards her.  
  
"Mind exclaiming why you kicked Big bro when I asked to sleep here?" Kaolla asked with an annoyed look. "Especially when you can tell that nothing 'perverted' happened between us?"  
  
"I...but he..." Naru blinked, looking between Kaolla and the torn screen doors. "Oh boy..." She then turned back to Kaolla to apoligize, when she realized the younger girl wore a sinister grin on her face as she pointed a remote at her. "Um... Kaolla...?"  
  
Meanwhile, Keitaro struggled to his feet at the bottom of the stairs. Just as he regained his footing he heard what sounded like a chainsaw revving, windows shattering, and general chaos upstairs.  
  
"Kaolla! I'm sorry!" Naru cried as more things seemed to shatter and made the building shake.  
  
"Sheesh, I better get up there and explain things before she tears up the whole place..." Keitaro grimaced at the noise, and was about to head back upstairs when he heard the front door open. Turning his head, he was surprised to see a woman standing at the doorway. The woman had long and elegant black hair, and wore a white fighting gi with a red hakama. Her black eyes met with Keitaro's, and the two froze for a moment.  
  
"Erm... Welcome to Hinata-Sou!" Keitaro stammered, breaking the silence first. "How can I help you?"  
  
Shaking herself back to her senses, the woman narrowed her eyes and drew a bokken from her side. "Vile male!" She growled, "How dare you trespass here?!"  
  
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Haruka sighed as she took another drag from her cigarette, trying to make the boring day go by faster. A sudden explosion drew her attention to the Hinata-Sou higher up the hill, followed by another explosion and large amounts of smoke.  
  
Shrugging and chalking the incident as another of Kaolla's experiments gone awry, she suddenly paused as she realized that there was one tenant who was away during the 'change of management,' and quickly rushed towards the dorm.  
  
"I just hope Keitaro is still in one piece when I get there...!" Haruka prayed as she sprinted out of the tea shop...  
  
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Scared for his life to the point of tears, Keitaro tore through the halls of Hinata-Sou with blinding speed as a wave of energy crashed into the wall behind him, shredding it into pieces. Mere seconds later, the new arrival stepped through the ruined wall, her eyes scanning the halls before heading off once more.  
  
Yawning, Kitsune stepped out from the hot spring, and blinked at the new arrival before smiling. "Hey Motoko! How was your trip?"  
  
"Later, must find dishonorable male!" The swordswoman sprinted down the hall, leaving the resident slacker speechless.  
  
'Dishonorable male?' Kitsune thought to herself, then frowned worriedly. 'Uh oh, I better stop her before she kills my sake provider on accident!' Getting dressed hurriedly, she ran after Motoko.  
  
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Sprinting at high speeds, he turned the corner and tore up the stairs, nearly bowling Shinobu over. He managed to keep her balance with the basket of laundry she was holding and muttered an apology, then ran off again. The master cook merely blinked in surprise, then was about to continue on when the swordswoman ran up to her.  
  
"The perverted male, where is he?" Motoko glared at Shinobu, but her voice was gentle.  
  
"Perverted male...?" Shinobu asked, looking towards the path Keitaro took with a raised eyebrow. She was about to ask the swordswoman a question when she noticed that she already began running down the path he took, her bokken trailing behind her.  
  
Gasping in surprise, Shinobu dropped the laundry basket. 'Oh no! I hope Keitaro won't get hurt!' She thought, and ran after Motoko.  
  
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"You! Stop right there!" Keitaro jumped at Motoko's voice, and turned to see the swordswoman down the hall. "Stand your ground and receive the punishment you deserve, vile male!"  
  
"Um, Motoko..." By now Kitsune, Shinobu, and even Naru have arrived behind the swordswoman, trying to reason with her.  
  
"Hold on a sec!" Keitaro held up his hands nervously. "I can explain everything!"  
  
"No excuses!" The swordswoman yelled, bringing her bokken down and sending a wave of energy towards Keitaro. The landlord, whose eyes bugged out at seeing the attack, began to turn to run, when...  
  
"Hey, can't a girl invent in peace...?" Kaolla grumbled as she stepped out of her room, then smiled. "Hey! Motoko is back!" She was so happy in seeing her friend return, that she didn't even see the energy wave surging towards her...  
  
"Kaolla!" Keitaro yelled, and rushed forward. Realizing there is no time to push her out of harm's way, he grabbed her and turned away, shielding her with his body. The wave tore into him milliseconds later, shredding his shirt into tatters and bruising him all over.  
  
"Coward!" Motoko roared. "How dare you take an innocent tenant as hostage?!"  
  
"Keitaro...?" Kaolla looked up at the landlord, her body being unharmed by the attack. As Keitaro stood and glared back at the swordwoman, the women gasped at seeing his eyes. Where there was pools of gentle brown was now replaced by cold hard chips of obsidian.  
  
"You almost hurt Kaolla..." Keitaro growled, and before anyone could react, he was suddenly before Motoko, his right arm swinging towards her with alarming speed. Surprised, all Motoko could do was raise her bokken in defense, but was shocked as his fist broke through the wooden practice sword like a toothpick.  
  
"You'll pay...!" Keitaro growled angrily, grabbing the front of the swordswoman's gi with his left hand as his right reared for another strike. Stunned, Motoko could only close her eyes and await the inevitable...  
  
"Keitaro! Stop!" Blinking, the landlord's fist hovered for a moment, before the frenzied haze in his eyes disippated, he glanced back the other direction to find Haruka there...  
  
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"Someone tell me that this is a cruel joke Kitsune is playing on me..." Motoko looked around the table at the other female tenants and Haruka. After a moment passed and no one spoke, Motoko covered her face with her hands. "You've got to be kidding me..."  
  
"Afraid not..." Kitsune shrugged. "Granny herself made him landlord. So you either put up with him as Naru have learned to do, or pack up and ship out."  
  
"I know he might seem perverted at times," Naru added, "But try to give him a chance, okay? If he doesn't work out, I'll help you kick him out!"  
  
After another moment of silence, Motoko sighed and stood.  
  
"I'm going to meditate on this, please don't disturb me." The others nodded, and watched the swordswoman walk off...  
  
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Even during dinner, Motoko seemed to act coldly towards Keitaro, but overall the dinner went by without any further acts of violence. She even complimented Shinobu's excellent cooking, who took in the praise proudly with a smile.  
  
Afterwards, Keitaro resumed studying one of his textbooks. He smiled to himself as he heard his door open, then close again. "Hello Kaolla, how's it going?" He greeted the visitor without even turning.  
  
"Just the same..." Kaolla smiled, her hands toying with what seemed to be a complex version of the rubix cube. "What about you?"  
  
"Just studying for the big test I'll have tomorrow." Keitaro shrugged, then winced and rubbed his neck. "But I swear, my back and neck is killing me...!" He then continued studying for a bit longer until he felt gentle hands kneading his back, and looked back in surprise. "Kaolla...?"  
  
The young woman smiled at him, as her hands continued to massage his back. "You're pretty amazing, you know?" She remarked as she worked to loosen a knot in his shoulder. "Most people would probably be in the hospital after a Motoko swing, but you only have a sore back..."  
  
"Heh, guess I must be immortal or something, huh?" The two laughed at the comment, then became quiet again as Kaolla continued massaging him. A few moments later Keitaro finally loosened up under her treatment, and smiled as she hugged him from behind, resting her head on his back. Hearing someone clear their throat, the two turned to see Motoko at the doorway.  
  
"Mind if I have a moment with him, Kaolla?" Motoko asked. Seeing her nod, the swordswoman waited for her to leave the room before turning to the landlord.  
  
"Yes, Miss Aoyoma?" Keitaro asked.  
  
Sighing, the swordswoman sat across from him. "I wish to apoligize for my behaviour earlier." She then looked into his eyes. "It seems that the other tenants have taken a liking to you, and despite my personal views, I will honor Granny Hina's wishes of keeping you as landlord."  
  
"It's not a big deal, Miss Aoyoma." Keitaro smiled, "It's just a misunderstanding, and no one else got hurt."  
  
Nodding silently, she glanced at the screen door leading out of his room before speaking again. "It would also seem that Kaolla seems quite attached to you, and I heard you've known each other for some time..." Seeing him nod, she stood to leave. "I see no problems in that, Mister Urashima. But mark my words: I will gut you alive if you ever hurt her."  
  
"Trust me, I'd die before that happens." Keitaro replied seriously, and Motoko nodded in approval before exiting his room.  
  
Outside, she closed the screen doors to Keitaro's room, then turned to see Kaolla standing there with a smile at her.  
  
"I apoligize for not being here the past few days." Motoko bowed lightly to her. "Did you have any nightmares sleeping while I was away?"  
  
"Not really, they're pretty much gone now." Kaolla replied with a smile.  
  
"That's good to hear." Motoko smiled slightly. "If they do reoccur, you're always welcome to sleep in my room."  
  
"Thanks, but I usually crash with Keitaro when I need to." Kaolla replied nonchalantly while Motoko's jaw dropped.  
  
"With that man...?!" Motoko gaped.  
  
"What's the matter?" Kaolla grinned mischeivously. "Afraid to see what his 'sword' can do to you?" The swordswoman blinked for a moment before the comment finally sank in, and turned away with a blush.  
  
"I swear, Kitsune's a bad influence on you Kaolla! Goodnight!" Motoko then made her way towards her own room, while Kaolla merely chuckled to herself before returning to Keitaro's room once more...  
  
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Like? No like? Please review!  
  
I know, the chapters seem to churn out quick, but I only write stuff down as they pop into my head. Sometimes it's right away, and then sometimes it takes ages... But I hope you enjoy! 


	4. Of watermelons and anemics

AN: Hey folks, I'm back once more. I've actually received an e-mail asking "When will things heat up between Kaolla and Keitaro?" Let's be reasonable, true romance doesn't exactly happen in a single chapter. It happens over a long spread of time, so please be patient, all good things will happen in due time. ^_^  
  
As always, Love Hina and its characters belong to Ken Akamatsu.  
  
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Child of the Crimson Moon  
  
Chapter 4: Of watermelons and anemics  
  
Login: molmol354  
  
Password: *******  
  
Entry log - Festival  
  
The Cherry Blossom Festival is happening in two days. While this usually means that I get to go pig out on the delicious treats that they make only during this one day of the whole year, this year means something completely different to me.  
  
The cherry blossom is a symbol of friendship and love, and there's nothing I wouldn't do to be loved by Keitaro. Sure, he always treats me like a little sister, but seeing him after ten long years and getting to know him again, I'm beginning to believe that I've fallen in love with him...  
  
They say that when the midnight hour comes during the festival, if a couple professes their love to each other their relationship will be a blessed one. I want to confess my feelings to him then, but I'm also afraid. What if he doesn't see me the same way? I don't know what I'll do if he doesn't return my feelings...  
  
Logoff, Y/N? Y  
  
Sighing, Kaolla closed up her laptop in her room. She then glanced in the direction of Keitaro's room, with a small smile she began getting dressed for school...  
  
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Breakfast was a rare quiet moment this day in Hinata-Sou, as most of the tenants were busy preparing for school. Both Naru and Keitaro were juggling last minute studying with their meals, Kitsune and Motoko were simply savoring each bite. Shinobu just finished the final touches to everyone's breakfasts, while Kaolla...  
  
"You amaze me, girl." Kitsune commented as she watched Kaolla wolf down enough food for three people. "How can you eat so much and keep that figure of yours?"  
  
"Easy!" Kaolla replied with a smile. "All you have to do is know the proper workout routines, and you'll burn it off like nothing!"  
  
"No kidding?" Kitsune smiled and pulled out a notepad. "Care to share the secrets with me? I could lose a few pounds myself..."  
  
Hopping up to her feet, Kaolla smiled and ruffled Keitaro's hair with one hand. "Oh, it's not really a secret!" She then winked. "All you have to do is spend a few nights with the landlord, and voila!" While Keitaro remained ignorant of his surroundings due to his studying, the rest of the women's jaws dropped as they stared at Kaolla with wide eyes.  
  
"Oops! Look at the time, let's go!" Kaolla laughed as she carried Shinobu under one arm, while dragging Motoko out with the other. Both were still stunned by her comments as Kaolla led them off to school.  
  
Shaking off Kaolla's comment, Naru turned to Keitaro. "Hey, we should get going too. We both have big tests to take at Toudai today!"  
  
Nodding, the landlord rushed out with her. One going to take the entrance exam to the university, while the other taking a test to determine the outcome of his semester's work.  
  
Left alone, Kitsune shrugged. "Well, never a dull moment here!" She smiled to herself.  
  
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Having parted ways at the front gate of Toudai, Keitaro began running towards his class. Cursing the long distance he has to run everyday due to the school's lack of shuttles, he turned a corner and collided with someone, sending both crashing to the pavement.  
  
"Ow..." Wincing as he sat up, he looked over at the person he ran into. It was a woman with long brown hair shaped back into a braid, and two strand of her hair poked up front in a similar fashion as Naru's. She wore a simple brown apron dress over a green shirt, but what worried Keitaro was that the woman remained motionless.  
  
"Hey, you okay Miss...?" Worried, Keitaro grabbed her wrist to help her up, but jumped back with a scream of horror. "Oh no! There's no pulse! I killed her!" As he cried over the tragedy, the woman suddenly sat upright, scaring him senseless and forcing him to sprint off, thinking she became a zombie.  
  
"Mutsumi Otohime, class A14..." The woman recited with a cheerful smile, then blinked and looked at her surroundings. "Oh dear, I must've fainted again, silly me..."  
  
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Later in the afternoon, Keitaro sat with a dejected look at a nearby cafe. The incident with the zombie woman having unnerved him to where he nearly blanked out during his exam, and sighed to himself as he cradled a cup of coffee in his hands.  
  
"Guess who?" A playful voice asked as Keitaro found his eyes covered by a pair of hands.  
  
"Hmm... a very attractive high school senior?" He smiled.  
  
"Pretty close." The voice giggled.  
  
"Who happens to be a princess?" His smile grew a bit.  
  
"Getting warmer!" The voice giggled again.  
  
"How's school, Kaolla?" Keitaro laughed, and watched as Kaolla took a seat beside him with a smile.  
  
"They're still going over stuff I already learned back home..." Kaolla made a bored gesture with her hand, then smiled at him. "What about you, how'd the test go?"  
  
"Horrible." Keitaro replied with a frown. "It pretty much went downhill when I ran into some lady who collapsed, and I could've sworn she was clinically dead or something..."  
  
"Hmm, you mean like her?" Kaolla gestured behind him, and sure enough the same woman had collapsed face first on the pavement, her textbooks spilled everywhere. Leaping up in fear, Keitaro was eventually calmed by Kaolla, and the two helped the woman into a chair, who began to stir.  
  
"Oh my, I must have fainted again..." The woman blinked, then smiled at the two.  
  
"Again?!" Kaolla exclaimed as she and Keitaro helped gather up her textbooks. "You mean this happens often?"  
  
"Yes, I am anemic... So it tends to happen often." The woman bowed to the pair as they picked up the last of her books. "Thank you both so much for your kindness!"  
  
"No problem!" Keitaro smiled, then blinked as he read the name on one of her books. "...Mutsumi?"  
  
"Yes? Mutsumi Otohime, that's my name!" The woman smiled warmly.  
  
"Wow! What are the chances of that?" Keitaro smiled as well. "It's me, Keitaro! Remember me from Hinata-Sou?" The woman had a blank look for a moment, before recognition dawned in her eyes.  
  
"Oh my goodness, it is you!" The two laughed as they embraced each other, leaving Kaolla to the side watching with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"Hey Kaolla!" Keitaro smiled, "I want you to meet Mutsumi, we used to play together when I was four years old!"  
  
"Hey, nice to meet you." Kaolla smiled as she shook the older woman's hand, but was frowning inwardly. 'She's pretty good looking, and knew him longer than me? This isn't good...' She thought to herself...  
  
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The sun had already began setting as Keitaro and Mutsumi began climbing the steps leading to Hinata-Sou, Kaolla had fallen asleep at the cafe, and was being carried back by the landlord.  
  
"I hope I'm not going to be a burden by coming over for dinner..." Mutsumi looked over at Keitaro with a worried look, who simply smiled in reply.  
  
"Really, it's not a big deal!" Keitaro replied, "Besides, not only is Shinobu a great cook, she'll have cooked more than enough for Kaolla's bottomless stomach!" The two laughed, and Mutsumi glanced over at the sleeping girl resting against Keitaro's back.  
  
"You care for her a lot, don't you?" Mutsumi smiled.  
  
"Yeah, she means a lot to me." Keitaro nodded with a warm smile. "Even when I'm down, she's always been there for me." The comment drew a small smile from Kaolla, who pretended to remain asleep.  
  
"Say, Keitaro?" The landlord turned to Mutsumi. "I've been thinking, since you're the landlord of Hinata-Sou and all... you mind if I were to get a room here?" She then smiled. "It'd be great to spend more time with you, plus the trip to Toudai would be shorter from here than my apartment!"  
  
"I don't see why not!" Keitaro smiled, while Kaolla grumbled inwardly to herself. "We'll just have to run it past the others, but they shouldn't mind!"  
  
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True enough, when the question was popped during Shinobu's marvelously prepared dinner, none of the tenants objected to having Mutsumi joining them. Though there was still the death threats from Motoko and Naru warning the landlord to not take advantage of the anemic, the dinner passed smoothly. Everyone complimented Shinobu's culinary skills, who smiled proudly and blushed from the attention.  
  
When watermelons were served after the meal, everyone discovered what Kitsune would later dub as 'The watermelon fetish' that Mutsumi has. It would seem her love for the fruit easily rivaled Kaolla's craving for food, as she consumed a large amout without even blinking an eye, much to everyone's astonishment.  
  
Late at night, Keitaro climbed up to the top of Hinata-Sou's roof. It was a favorite spot that he frequented to think in peace, or simply to relax. It was a beautiful evening, with the moon and stars glowing brightly, allowing him to see Kaolla watching the stars near his usual spot.  
  
"This spot taken?" Keitaro asked with a smile as he walked up next to where she sat.  
  
"Sure is, it's reserved for you." Kaolla replied with a smile, causing the landlord to laugh and sit beside her. The two watched the skies silently for a long time, before Kaolla broke the silence between them.  
  
"Mutsumi seems like a nice girl..." She commented, and seeing Keitaro nod, decided to nudge him playfully. "Hey, you should ask her out! Shouldn't be hard seeing as you two are childhood sweethearts and all..."  
  
"Not quite, Kaolla." Keitaro laughed, "Sure, she and I go way back... but we're just best friends. She's not really my type anyhow..."  
  
"Oh, I see..." Kaolla acted as if she didn't care, but was inwardly dancing for joy. 'Yes! I still have a chance with him!' She thought to herself happily, and was glad for once that Keitaro was too dense to sense her feelings.  
  
"Hey! A shooting star!" Keitaro smiled and pointed it out to her. "Make a wish!"  
  
Kaolla watched the star disappear into the distance, then nodded to him. "Okay, made my wish!"  
  
"So, what did you wish for?" Keitaro asked.  
  
"Silly!" Kaolla exclaimed as she pushed him playfully, then kissed him on the cheek and rested against him. "If I told anyone, then it won't come true, remember?" Laughing at his own silliness, the landlord wrapped his arms around her, and the two spent the rest of the evening stargazing in each other's arms...  
  
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Like? No like? Please review!  
  
While I'm not exactly a "review junkie," reading everyone's compliments really does boost my morale in writing this. I personally think it's a bit lacking, but I thank everyone who enjoys it. 


	5. Love is born with cherry blossoms

AN: "Best Kei/Kao fic out there?" I'm flattered. Really, thanks to all of you with the compliments. If anyone has any inquiries and/or ideas, feel free to drop me an e-mail. I promise that I'll definetly reply back, as most of you can tell that I'm a net and fanfic junkie by now. ^_^  
  
As always, Love Hina and its characters belong to Ken Akamatsu.  
  
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Child of the Crimson Moon  
  
Chapter 5: Love is born with cherry blossoms  
  
"Oh Kei..." Kaolla gasped softly as Keitaro showered her face with soft kisses, before their lips met in a passionate kiss. The two soon deepened the kiss as they explored each other's mouth with their tongues, and soon she laid on top of him as they continued kissing passionately.  
  
'He's so manly...' Kaolla thought to herself, as she ran her hands along his toned chest and abs, made fit by his daily chores as landlord. Slowly, Keitaro sat up and cradled her in his arms, and began trailing kisses down her stomach. Lost in the moment of passion, Kaolla simply closed her eyes and surrendered to his loving caresses...  
  
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Sitting up with a startled yelp, Kaolla blinked for a moment before realizing that she was laying on the futon in her room - alone. Wiping the thin perspiration from her brow, she frowned to herself before reaching for her laptop. After logging in, she quickly accessed the section where she kept her reminders...  
  
Note to self: No more eating three banana splits before bed, weird dreams happen that way.  
  
After typing out the line, she tapped her chin in thought before typing once more...  
  
Note to self 2: Remember to build a machine to capture above mentioned dreams for future reference.  
  
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With school being let out early in preparation for the Cherry Blossom Festival, Kaolla slowly made her way back towards Hinata-Sou. Right before she made the climb up the steps, she paused before turning to the left, and eventually made her way into Haruka's teashop. The owner gestured for her to sit at the counter, and made Kaolla's favorite drink - Hot cocoa.  
  
Thanking the owner, Kaolla remained quiet until Haruka took a deep drag from her cigarette before inquiring what was on her mind.  
  
"If there was a boy you really liked..." Kaolla exclaimed, "...And you've been best friends forever, would you risk that friendship by admitting you cared for him, or stay quiet about it?"  
  
Taking a sip from her teacup, Haruka shrugged. "Planning to talk to my nephew during the festival, hmm?"  
  
"What makes you think I was talking about him, Haruka?" Kaolla tried to deny the question, but the older woman grinned at seeing her flushed face.  
  
"You might be the youngest genius in Japan, Kaolla." Haruka chuckled, "But lying is definetly not one of your strong points." Seeing the younger woman blush even more and lowering her head, she continued. "But what I can tell you is that if you do decide to tell him the truth, then do it soon."  
  
"Huh?" Kaolla looked up, blinking.  
  
"Everyone here knows your feelings towards him, with the exception of my dense nephew." Haruka puffed out a cloud of smoke before continuing. "But Mutsumi is the only person that's known him longer than you, and she still harbours feelings towards him..." Seeing Kaolla's shocked expression, she shook her head. "All I'm saying, Kaolla, is that you should do something before it's too late."  
  
Kaolla sat quietly for several moments to digest the words given to her, then stood with a smile. "Thanks for the advice, Haruka." Haruka nodded with a smile, watching her leave.  
  
"They do deserve each other..." Haruka said to herself with a smile, before returning to her duties...  
  
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With the festival starting in a few hours, all the female tenants gathered at the hot spring for a quick soak before preparing for the evening. Each discussing what they were planning to do for the festival...  
  
"I think there's actually a kabuki dance troupe that's pretty famous showing up this year!" Naru smiled, "I'd definetly want to check that out!"  
  
"All the top named sake makers are going to be in town," Kitsune grinned. "So you can be sure to find me sampling the best stuff they've got!"  
  
"What about you, Mutsumi?" Shinobu asked the anemic. "What are you planning to do at the festival?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know..." Mutsumi smiled sheepishly, "Maybe talk to someone about a serious relationship..."  
  
Kaolla, who was soaking peacefully with just her nose above the water surface, gasped at Mutsumi's reply and began coughing, as she swallowed some of the water while sitting up.  
  
"Goodness, Kaolla..." Motoko blinked, patting the distressed woman. "Something the matter?"  
  
"No, not at all..." Kaolla narrowed her eyes at Mutsumi, but her glare went unnoticed as the group resumed chatting amongest each other...  
  
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The group began gathering in the living room to depart as a group, and Keitaro complimented each of the tenants in their traditional kimonos. Although each of the women smiled and blushed at his compliments, he was still warned by Motoko and Naru to behave himself for the evening. Each of them had chosen a kimono which enhanced their beauty, while remaining properly formal for the evening.  
  
Kitsune continued to wear her trademark grin, as her yellow kimono seemed to blend in with her hair. Silver linings along her sleeves and collar formed a slight glow which seemed to make her glimmer in the evening...  
  
Motoko had chosen a kimono similar to her practice outfit, but where her practice outfit had shorter sleeves and was cut for maximum movement, her kimono had long sleeves and was cut to make her look demure and attractive...  
  
Shinobu looked marvelous in a sky blue kimono, with a white crane design which seemed to make the birds take flight with even the slightest movement from her...  
  
Naru had chosen a simple red kimono with white linings, which only served to further show off her curves than her normal outfits, forcing her to walk slowly with flushed cheeks...  
  
Mutsumi chose a green kimono with yellow linings, which looked attractive on her, yet drew smiles from everyone as it reminded them of her obsession with watermelons...  
  
Kaolla joined the group last, wearing a white kimono with a cherry blossom petal design, making her stand out easily from the group with her beauty and drawing a smile from Keitaro...  
  
"Hmm, a bit bland, but it'll do." Kaolla grinned as she glanced at Keitaro's choice of a grey kimono, causing the tenants to laugh and drawing a chuckle from the landlord. With everyone present, the group departed for the festival...  
  
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"Step right up folks!" An old man smiled before a stand. "Test your skills with the bow and win great prizes! Only five hundred yen per shot!"  
  
"Hmm, why not?" Keitaro smiled and paid the old man, who handed him a bow and an arrow with a large round sponge for a tip.  
  
"I did not know you were efficent with the bow, Mister Urashima..." Motoko commented with a raised eyebrow, while the rest of the tenants cheered him on playfully.  
  
"I used one when I was a kid." Keitaro replied with a smile, then took aim and fired. Unfortunately, the arrow strayed and missed its mark, causing the tenants to boo him playfully.  
  
"Okay, I'm pretty sure I can do it this time!" Keitaro smiled as he handed another bill to the old man in exchange for an arrow.  
  
"Stubborn, aren't we?" Motoko commented.  
  
"Just a bit rusty, is all..." Keitaro fired once more, this time hitting its target and bringing down a hanging stuffed bear. The arrow flew with such force that it also connected with the target behind it, dropping a stuffed elephant as well, causing the tenants to cheer for him. With a smile, the landlord gave the toys to Kaolla and Mutsumi, who hugged him happily in return.  
  
The group continued its way through the festival, making many single males grumble about the luck of a certain landlord, while causing many breakups between couples when a man's eyes stayed too long on the group. They eventually wound up at the center of the festival, where a gigantic cherry tree stood, and was scheduled to have a fireworks show there at midnight.  
  
"Well, how's about we each do what we want, then come back at midnight to enjoy the fireworks?" Kitsune smiled at the group, which agreed and began dispersing, Keitaro began heading off in one direction when a hand grabbed his arm, forcing him to turn to its owner...  
  
"Yes, Kaolla?" Keitaro smiled at the young woman.  
  
"Um..." Kaolla fidgeted nervously with her fingers with a blush, then smiled at him. "Think you can meet me here just before midnight, so we can beat the rushing crowd?" Seeing him nod, she smiled and let him go, not knowing that Mutsumi had remained behind to catch their conversation, who then smiled to herself and left...  
  
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As the hour of midnight approached, Kaolla paced nervously beneath the giant cherry tree. No one knew that she was such a nervous wreck waiting for the moment, that she never left the area to enjoy the festival. Sighing with indecision, she clutched the stuffed elephant Keitaro won earlier closer to her.  
  
"Oh, there you are!"  
  
Blinking in surprise, Kaolla slowly turned as she recognized the voice. "Mutsumi...?"  
  
Smiling warmly, the watermelon addict walked up to Kaolla. "Here, this is for you..." She then clasped a small necklace charm around the younger woman's neck, who took a look at the gift and gasped in surprise.  
  
"This... this is...!"  
  
"Yes, it's a good luck charm." Mutsumi smiled. "I was fortunate enough to come across a Shinto priest, who I asked to bless this charm for luck in finding love and happiness..."  
  
"But, why...?" Kaolla blinked.  
  
"Because Keitaro means a lot to me as well, Kaolla..." Mutsumi replied with a warm smile. "I want to wish him the best in everything, including love." She then held Kaolla's hands reassuringly. "I do love him, but I realized that you two were meant to be together, which is why I'm doing this for you."  
  
With a smile and a nod, Mutsumi began walking away. Kaolla looked back at the charm and was nearly moved to tears, as the one she thought would be her rival for Keitaro's love not only gave him up to her, but wished her luck in the process as well...  
  
"Mutsumi?" The anemic turned to her in the distance, and Kaolla smiled and gave her a thumbs up. "Thanks..." Mutsumi smiled in return, and soon disappeared in the crowd.  
  
"Hey there!"  
  
Surprised, Kaolla turned and saw that Keitaro was making his way towards her, and smiled when he finally reached her through the gathering crowd waiting for the fireworks.  
  
"Sorry if I'm late, did you wait long?" Keitaro asked, making Kaolla smile at his caring words.  
  
"No, I just got here myself..." Kaolla lied, and rested against him as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.  
  
"Keitaro...?" She asked quietly after a moment of silence between them.  
  
"Hmm?" Keitaro turned to her with a warm smile, making her wince inside. Her next words would determine if he would ever smile at her like that again...  
  
"I've been thinking about this for a long time..." She continued, and lowered her eyes. "...And I think that I've really fallen in love with you..."  
  
When see saw that Keitaro was stunned speechless by her confession, she turned away with tears in her eyes. "I knew it... Now you think I've finally lost it by saying what's in my heart!"  
  
"No, you know that's not true..." Being brought back to his senses by her tears, he reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You know I would never think that about you..."  
  
"Of course you wouldn't...!" Her tears flowed freely now, "All I ever will be is a younger sister to you... a spoiled brat who wants everything for herself..."  
  
"Kaolla!" Keitaro sighed, then grabbed her and turned her to face him forcefully. "Please, listen to me..." Seeing her cry with her head lowered, he sighed and continued. "I've always loved you too, Kaolla... I... I just never had the courage to admit it, because I was afraid I'd lose your trust and friendship..."  
  
Kaolla's looked up at him with tearful eyes in surprise at his confession. "That was what I thought, too..." She sniffled, and was calmed considerably as he gently wiped her tears away with his fingers.  
  
"I do love you, Kaolla..." Keitaro smiled softly at her, "...And I always will." Seeing her begin to smile, he chuckled. "And a princess shouldn't be crying, it ruins their beauty..."  
  
Nearly brought to tears again with joy, Kaolla stood on her tiptoes and met Keitaro's lips with hers, pouring all of her pent up feelings into the kiss. The couple embraced each other and continued their kiss, oblivious to the world around them.  
  
As the fireworks began, the rest of Hinata-Sou's tenants arrived as a group, and gasped in surprise as they saw the closeness of the couple in the distance.  
  
"That damned pervert...!" Naru grumbled, rolling up a sleeve and preparing to punch Keitaro into the nearby river.  
  
"I warned him...!" Motoko growled as she and Naru began marching forward, when Mutsumi stopped them both with a gesture, confusing everyone present.  
  
"Let's leave them be..." Mutsumi smiled as she watched the couple, "After all, it's been destiny waiting to happen..."  
  
Slowly, Keitaro and Kaolla separated from their kiss and smiled at each other, then held each other as they watched the fireworks mingle with the cherry blossom petals in the star filled night...  
  
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Like? No like? Please review!  
  
I think this chapter is the first time in history in which I actually "trashed" my first dream idea for the story, before another dream during a short nap became what you see here. Hope you enjoyed, as more will be on its way soon! Also my thanks to brainiac, who pointed out my spelling mistake with the word "cherry," it tends to slip by even when I'm trying to check for mistakes. 


	6. Sisters of the red moon

AN: Glad to see everyone enjoying the writing so far. (points to various sharp objects imbedded in his back) But there's no need to get violent, as I plan to take this story for at least a few more chapters before ending it properly, so just sit back and enjoy!  
  
Pray for more dreams for me, as they are the source for this fic.  
  
As always, Love Hina and its characters belong to Ken Akamatsu.  
  
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Child of the Crimson Moon  
  
Chapter 6: Sisters of the red moon  
  
Sitting up suddenly with a yelp, Kaolla realized once again that she was on the futon in her room - alone. Blinking, she reached up and withdrew a small earbud from her right ear. After a few minutes of setup, she had connected the earbud to her laptop, and was awaiting whatever data was stored in the small gadget to be uploaded.  
  
"Well, my experimental Virtual-View should've recorded whatever dream I had..." It has been two weeks since the Cheery Blossom Festival, and was the first time this particular dream resurfaced since the implementation of her invention...  
  
Seeing the upload meter reach 100%, Kaolla smiled and sat back, clicking the play button on her laptop. But after watching the recorded video for just over a minute, her jaw dropped in shock as her face flushed furiously. Scrambling, she quickly deleted all traces of the video, and stashed her invention away.  
  
"I would've heard no end to this if Kitsune saw that..." Kaolla sighed as she exited her room, her face still beet red...  
  
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"Ah, Kaolla!" Shinobu smiled as she noticed the new arrival to the dining room. "I made your favorite today, curried rice with apples!" Kaolla smiled widely as she saw the plate of food being served, then narrowed her eyes suspiciously.  
  
"Wait a sec, there's only one person here that knew that..." With a smile, she walked over and pinched Keitaro's cheek playfully, making him wince. "So since when did I give you permission to go around sharing information about me, hmm?" She asked playfully, tugging on his cheek.  
  
"Ow...!" Keitaro chuckled. "Well, seeing as you and Naru are graduating from high school today, I figure we have our master chef cook up something special for you two before we all go to the graduation ceremony..." Upon hearing his explanation, Kaolla smiled and kissed his cheek lovingly, before sitting down to her meal.  
  
"Oh yeah, today's graduation..." Kaolla tapped her chin while chewing, "I suppose it would be considered an important day..." Everyone stared at her silently for a moment, surprised that she would forget something as important as her graduation.  
  
"Well!" Kitsune broke the silence with her usual grin. "We know you're going to graduate with honors and all, but how come we didn't see you go with Naru to take the university entrance exam?" At this, everyone turned to Kaolla, each curious to what her reply would be...  
  
"Oh, that?" Kaolla made a bored gesture with one hand while feeding herself with the other. "I already took the exam in my freshman year, got it out of the way..."  
  
"Really?" Shinobu smiled, joing the rest at the table. "So what was your score?"  
  
"Nothing fancy, only 940." Kaolla replied, then noticed that the room became deathly quiet. She looked up to see everyone gaping at her with surprised looks. "What?"  
  
"Only 940?!" Keitaro exclaimed. "I barely got the 600 needed to enter Toudai, and that was on my second try!"  
  
"Yeah, I barely made it over 700 myself!" Naru added. "How in the world did you score so high?!"  
  
"Geez, you two make the exam sound like it's so hard..." Kaolla grinned. "Truth is, I fell asleep towards the end because it was so darned boring, otherwise I probably would have gotten every question..." This comment caused everyone to either choke on their breakfast, or fall out of their chair in further shock.  
  
"Okay..." Motoko was the first to shake off the shock. "With that said, I believe we should prepare ourselves for today." Everyone agreed and began clearing up the dishes, while Kaolla hugged Keitaro close.  
  
"It was very sweet of you to ask Shinobu to cook for me, Kei..." Kaolla smiled up at him.  
  
"Anything for you, my princess..." Keitaro replied with a warm smile, and the two shared a brief kiss which made all the tenants - including the usually stoic Motoko smile at the sight of the happy couple.  
  
"Alright already, save that for later tonight!" Kitsune grinned, causing the two to break away with blushes while the rest laughed...  
  
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The graduation ceremonies passed happily, despite the group being almost embarrassed by Kitsune's snoring during the principal's long and boring speech to the graduates. Nontheless, after a few tear jerking goodbyes with their school mates, Naru and Kaolla returned with the group to Hinata-Sou. The graduates joked about setting their hated uniforms on fire, as they will no longer be using it ever...  
  
Despite Keitaro's protests, Kitsune laughed as she forced both Naru and Kaolla to chug a large amount of sake to 'kick off the celebrations.' Always up to the challenge, Shinobu surprised everyone by preparing the best party platters and desserts ever seen. Amidst all the drinks and food, the Hinata-Sou tenants and landlord partied late into the night...  
  
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Whistling cheerfully to himself, a young man dressed in a casual suit walked down through the deserted streets of Hinata. Noticing a faint sound, he glanced up and noticed a woman sitting upon a rooftop, playing a flute with a soothing melody.  
  
'Such beauty...!' The young man thought to himself, as he took in the figure before him. The woman wore an exquisite blue and white dress which showed off her trim stomach, while her tanned skin and silver hair gave off an exotic aura of beauty. Smiling to himself, the man slicked back his brown hair and pulled a rose from his jacket.  
  
"A magnificent melody, lovely lady." The man spoke as if he's rehearsed the line for ages, "Would you give me the honor of presenting you with a rose to further your stunning beauty?"  
  
Lowering her flute, the woman opened her emerald green eyes and smirked. "Hmph, and just who the hell are you...?"  
  
"My name is Kentaro Sakata, beautiful one." The man replied without missing a beat, though inwardly he began wondering why the woman hasn't fallen to his playboy charms yet... "Perhaps we could get to know each other better over a cup of coffee?"  
  
Laughing, the woman narrowed her eyes at him. "Fool, when you get reincarnated in your next life, remember not to look at women as a prize to be won!" Confused, Kentaro blinked as he noticed a shadow looming up behind him, and turned to come face to face with a giant white alligator...  
  
"Oh God! My spleen! Help!" The woman watched on with a sadistic grin, as the moon loomed over her in a crimson hue...  
  
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Waking with a headache the size of Mount Fuji, Keitaro groaned and tried to sit up in his futon, but was surprised as he found himself weighed down with Kaolla smiling down at him sweetly.  
  
"About time you came to, sleepy head." Kaolla smiled, caressing his cheek. "How are you feeling...?"  
  
"Mmph... Horrible headache... I think Kitsune made me drink an entire bottle..." Any further complaints were silenced as Kaolla kissed him softly, after a short moment, the two broke the kiss and smiled at each other.  
  
"Better...?" Kaolla asked as she laid her head on his chest.  
  
"Much better..." Keitaro smiled, and wrapped his arms around her. The two rested in each other's arms quietly, savoring the time in the other's company. Unfortunately, the peaceful moment was disturbed by a knock at his door, causing the couple to look up.  
  
"Hey, Keitaro!" Haruka's voice came from the other side of the screen door. "Some friends of yours named Shirai and Haitani called, and wanted you to meet them at the cafe next to Toudai."  
  
"Thanks!" Keitaro replied, then frowned to himself. "I wonder what those idiots have cooked up...?"  
  
"Want me to go with you...?" Kaolla snuggled against him.  
  
"Nah, I'll make it quick..." Smiling, he kissed her forehead and got up. "I'll be back soon." Seeing her nod with a smile, he grabbed a jacket and made his way to meet his friends...  
  
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"Hey guys, what's up?" Having arrived at the cafe, Keitaro greeted his friends and took a seat at their table. To the casual observer the three could've easily been mistaken as brothers, as all three had brown hair with very minute coloration differences, and all three wore glasses as well. The only things setting them apart was that Haitani was slightly taller and skinnier than Keitaro, while Shirai was slightly shorter and rounder.  
  
"Dude, did you hear about the latest news?" Haitani asked, pushing a newspaper in front of him with the headlines 'Several mauled in secluded alleyways.'  
  
"Yeah!" Shirai added. "Word has it that all the victims point to 'a foreign voodoo woman with tanned skin,' can you believe that?"  
  
"Tanned skin, huh?" Keitaro raised an eyebrow, tapping his chin in thought.  
  
"Hey, there something you know you ain't telling us?" Haitani asked with a grin.  
  
"What?! No! Of course not!" Keitaro shook his head, but is suddenly caught in a headlock by Shirai.  
  
"Liar!" Shirai laughed, and ruffled Keitaro's hair with his free hand. "Tell us now!"  
  
"Oh, hello boys!"  
  
Stopping, the three men turned as one to see Kaolla and Naru standing nearby. Naru was wearing her usual yellow sweater and orange skirt, while Kaolla wore a white dress which stopped at her knees. Both Shirai and Haitani blinked for a moment, before dropping Keitaro as they stared at the beauties before them.  
  
Struggling to his feet, Keitaro quickly introduced both parties to each other. The women simply smiled and waved, while Haitani and Shirai was reduced to gibbering idiots vieing for female attention. "Well, this is a surprise!" Keitaro laughed. "What are you two doing out right now?"  
  
"Well, we figured that we mind as well get all of our Toudai registration paperwork out of the way today..." Naru replied. "Besides, it'll be a lot less cramped in the bookstore right now than the week before the semester begins, right?"  
  
"I see..." Keitaro smiled with a nod. "Well, you two have fun then!" Naru smiled and waved as she walked away, while Kaolla gave him a kiss on the cheek and winked at the other two men present.  
  
"Don't wear him out now, I still want to play with him tonight..." With a giggle, she walked away and left Keitaro covering his face with a hand and trying to hide his flushed face. All the while Keitaro's friends watched on with their jaws gaping, before Haitani finally snapped to his senses and began strangling Keitaro.  
  
"Dude! Why didn't you tell me you were living with such hot chicks under the same roof?!"  
  
"I did!" Keitaro was beginning to turn blue, "You guys just never believed me!"  
  
"Hang on a sec!" Shirai waved his hands frantically to get their attention. "Don't you get it? That Kaolla must be the woman the news has been talking about!"  
  
"What?!" Keitaro exclaimed, breaking free from Haitani. "That's impossible!"  
  
"Hey, I know she's your girlfriend and all..." Haitani shook his head. "But you never know..."  
  
"I refuse to believe that!" Keitaro shook his head, "Look, I'll talk to you guys some other time..." Before either of his friends could say another word, he had already walked away...  
  
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As Keitaro began heading back to Hinata-Sou, he looked up at the night skies and smiled as he saw the crimson moon. 'Huh...I wonder if Kaolla still prays to the red moon...?' He thought to himself, and was about to continue onwards when he heard a soothing melody nearby. His curiousity getting the better of him, he follwed the sound until he reached a house and saw someone sitting on the roof...  
  
With a gasp, he suddenly realized that this was the very same person that was in the news and responsible for the random maulings. But before he could run away, the woman suddenly stopped playing her flute and glared down at him.  
  
"Who's there?!" She yelled, and as the two locked eyes, a moment of silence filled the air...  
  
"Amalla...?"  
  
"It can't be...!" The woman gasped, then leapt down the roof to come face to face with him. "Keitaro, is that you...?" Laughing in joy, the two embraced each other for a moment before looking at each other.  
  
"What are you doing here, Keitaro?" Amalla smiled at him warmly. "It's been ages since I've last seen you!"  
  
"I go to school and live here!" Keitaro smiled back. "How's your brother been?"  
  
"You know him..." Amalla shook her head with a smile. "Still cares for every little person, even though he now has a country to run..." She trailed off for a moment, then looked at him with seriousness in her eyes. "Actually, the main reason I'm here is because of Kaolla..."  
  
"That's not a problem, I'm the landlord of the dorm she lives at!" Keitaro replied. "Why don't you come with me? I'm sure your sister would love to see you!" Amalla nodded, and the two were about to depart when she suddenly grabbed him by the collar and took a few small sniffs with her nose.  
  
"Mind telling me why Kaolla's scent is all over you...?" Amalla asked, an eyebrow raised.  
  
"We've gotten a lot... closer... over the last few weeks..." Keitaro chuckled nervously, wondering whether the older sister would become over- protective and maul him as well.  
  
"Well, she could've done worse..." Amalla smiled, and nudged him playfully to show she was joking when Keitaro grumbled at her.  
  
"The way you said you wanted to see your sister, it sounded urgent..."  
  
"Yes, very much so..." Amalla nodded, as they began climbing the steps to Hinata-Sou. "While each child of the royal family learns to harness the energies released by their bodies on the nights of the red moon, Kaolla ran away shortly after you and your father left, and thus never received her training..." She then sighed. "At this point, I don't even know what kind of powers she has, but I do know if left uncontrolled, she could potentially die from the energy drain..."  
  
Keitaro gasped in horror at Amalla's explanation as they entered the living room. "Alright, why don't you wait here then..." Keitaro's expression was grim, as he didn't want to lose the one person he loved with all his heart. "I'll go get Kaolla and bring her down with me."  
  
As Amalla waited in the living room, Keitaro made his way upstairs and knocked on Kaolla's door. "Kaolla? It's me..." Hearing no answer, he became worried and opened the door, revealing only darkness beyond the doorway. "Kaolla...?" Keitaro asked again as he stepped in, and jumped when the door suddenly shut behind him.  
  
"My sweet Kei..." Keitaro froze as he felt a pair of slender arms wrap around him from behind, as Kaolla's warm breath by his ear sent shivers along his back. "You've been a bad boy, leaving poor little me alone all day..." His eyes widened as he suddenly felt her nibble his ear playfully with her teeth, and turned to confront her...  
  
The landlord was definetly unprepared for what he saw, as Kaolla stared back into his eyes with a seductive gaze. She wore a dress that was identical to Amalla's in every way, but was in red and green instead of white and blue. She smiled as she trailed her fingers along his chest, making him shiver again.  
  
"I suppose it couldn't be helped..." Kaolla smiled at him, as Keitaro stared at her. "But I've been wanting you all day, Kei... and I won't take no for an answer..." Keitaro's eyes bugged out as she began sliding a strap off her shoulder with a seductive smile. "Take me now, Kei... I need you..."  
  
Summoning what little willpower he had left, Keitaro screamed and burst through the screen door, running away before the last of his morals were torn away by her seductive powers...  
  
"Mmm... don't play hard to get, my precious Kei..." Kaolla smiled to herself, as she brandished a wooden guitar in front of her...  
  
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Amalla sighed as she continued to wait in the living room, wondering what was taking so long. Suddenly Keitaro scrambled down the stairs and hid behind her like a scared child, causing Amalla to give him a weird look.  
  
"And just what is your problem...?" She asked, before the whole living room exploded in a shower of ice and snow, throwing the two forcefully outside into the courtyard. As they struggled to their feet, the pair gasped as they watched Kaolla step through the ruined doorway, a dome of swirling ice crystals surrounding her as she played a guitar in her hands.  
  
"No, Kaolla!" Amalla exclaimed, "You have to stop! You don't know what you're doing!"  
  
"But I do, dear sister..." Kaolla smiled, her eyes dark and seductive. "I will make Kei mine tonight, and I will be one with him... So don't stand in my way!" With that, she pointed the guitar in their direction, and a blast of ice shot towards them. Reacting quickly, Amalla brought her flute to her lips, and a dome of lightning shot around her and Keitaro, shielding them from the icy barrage...  
  
The barrage lasted well over an hour, and just as Amalla and Keitaro began losing hope, they noticed that Kaolla's expression became strained. And sure enough moments later she slumped to one knee, the ice around her slowly dissipating.  
  
"Finally wore her down..." Amalla sighed as she lowered her flute, "Unfortunately, I don't know how to cure her of the condition she's currently in..."  
  
"Kaolla!" Uncaring for his own safety, Keitaro rushed towards the younger woman, and suddenly slipped on a chunk of unmelted ice, causing him to crash into the pavement hard face first and skidding to a stop near her.  
  
"Keitaro!" Kaolla gasped, and went over to the injured landlord. "Are you hurt? Say something!" She cried as she cradled him in her lap, looking at him worriedly.  
  
"My princess..." Keitaro smiled weakly, looking up at her. "Don't you understand...? You don't need to change... You already have my heart..."  
  
"Oh Kei..." Kaolla smiled tearfully, the seductive haze fading from her eyes. "My sweet Kei...ta..ro..." Exhausted from using all the energy before, she nodded off into a blissful sleep. Shaking her head, Amalla walked over and slung Keitaro over one shoulder, while carrying her sister under her arm.  
  
"I'm getting too old for this..." Amalla sighed as she made her way back towards the dorm...  
  
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The rest of the tenants soon returned, as they went for a rare dinner outside of the dorm to give Shinobu a rest from the constant cooking. As they arrived, they all wore dismayed looks at the sight of the demolished living room, and were furthered shocked to find Keitaro sleeping on one of the undamaged couches with Amalla and Kaolla resting against him  
  
"The nerve!" Naru fumed, "Not only do you wreck the place, but you also cheat on Kaolla with another woman?! You're good for nothing!" With that, she slugged Keitaro with a mighty punch which sent him through the ceiling and out through the roof. The sudden movement stirred the two sleeping women, who looked at each other sleepily.  
  
"Hey Big sis..."  
  
"Hey Kaolla..."  
  
The two looked up at the recently made hole from Keitaro's exit for a moment, then Amalla looked back at Kaolla with a raised eyebrow. "Does that happen often?"  
  
"Unfortunately..." Kaolla yawned, then brandished a remote at Naru, who stepped back nervously. "But everyone will learn in due time not to..."  
  
As Keitaro laid senseless on the top of Hinata-Sou's roof, sounds of explosions and glass shattering can be heard as the whole building rocked under Kaolla's wrath...  
  
"I'm sorry, Kaolla!" Naru wailed.  
  
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Like? No like? Please review!  
  
Blech, somehow I feel this chapter was a piece of garbage, but like I said, I just type out the odd dreams of Love Hina for this fic. Hope you all enjoy, as more are coming soon! 


	7. The yin and yang of the Urashimas

AN: Hello again folks, once more I'd like to thank all the words of encouragement. Since I have yet to receive any flames, I'll take that as a sign that I haven't goofed in writing yet. ^_^  
  
As I have said before, this fic will continue for a bit before I write a proper ending to it, but I will definetly take consideration into a sequel. (Which I wonder why people ask for one to this garbage I wrote...) But don't murder me just yet, as there's still more chapters to go.  
  
As always, Love Hina and its characters belong to Ken Akamatsu.  
  
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Child of the Crimson Moon  
  
Chapter 7: The yin and yang of the Urashimas  
  
Eyes closed in meditation, the resident swordswoman of Hinata-Sou remained as still as a statue. But despite the tranquility provided in the early morning while everyone slept, a frown began to form on her calm face, before her eyes snapped open in annoyance.  
  
"That does it! I'm going to settle this once and for all!" Motoko growled, and made her way towards Keitaro's room. Upon arriving, she knocked on the landlord's door until he emerged, blinking sleepily at her.  
  
"Oh, is something wrong, Miss Aoyoma...?" Keitaro yawned.  
  
"You will join me at the balcony in ten minutes." Motoko glared down at the landlord. "I require your assistance as a sparring partner."  
  
Blinking sleepily again, Keitaro glanced back at a clock, which barely went past seven. "Erm... do I have a say in this...?" Seeing Motoko's eyes narrow, he sighed. "Alright, ten minutes it is..."  
  
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Taking a drag from her cigarette, Haruka continued her daily routine of setting up the teashop for another day of business. As she was wiping down a table, she heard the tell-tale tingle of the door chimes, signaling the closed door being opened.  
  
"Sorry, the shop won't be open for a few more minutes..." Haruka continued cleaning, not bothering to look at whoever opened the door.  
  
"Pity, this is the only place I could ever find good green tea..."  
  
Haruka instantly froze on the spot, then turned quickly to confirm the speaker's identity. Raising an eyebrow in amusement, she puffed out a cloud of smoke with a grin. "Well, this is certainly a surprise... Did Granny Hina send you here to check up on things?"  
  
"Yes, but I also have my own reasons." The speaker replied calmly, seemingly without emotion. "Of course, it'd be helpful if you could point me to the person I'd like to speak to."  
  
"Probably still asleep right now..." Haruka inclined her head towards Hinata-Sou's direction. "But I'm sure he wouldn't mind seeing you right now." She watched as the person nod to her before exiting quietly, then took a drag from her cigarette.  
  
"Poor Keitaro, never a moment of peace for the boy..." Haruka sighed.  
  
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At the dining room, the tenants have gathered for yet another great breakfast prepared by Shinobu. As the master chef began serving the dishes, she glanced around the table and frowned.  
  
"That's odd, Motoko and Keitaro aren't here yet..." Shinobu mused. "They usually arrive early when it comes to breakfast."  
  
"Oh, I forgot to tell you!" Mutsumi beamed with her ever present smile. "Motoko is actually sparring with Keitaro at the moment, they probably won't be joing us for breakfast today..."  
  
The room suddenly became deathly quiet as the other four tenants exchanged looks of horror, before scrambling towards the balcony where Motoko usually practices, leaving their food untouched.  
  
"Oh my, was it something I said?" Mutsumi blinked.  
  
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The tenants arrived just as they watched a wave of energy sent Keitaro flying up into the air before crashing hard onto the balcony face first, causing the spectators to wince in sympathy for the seemingly immortal landlord.  
  
Motoko, however, was infuriated beyond belief. Her mind flashed with the moment when she first met the landlord, where he smashed her bokken with no effort. 'Was that merely a moment of weakness on my part?' She thought. She then recalled during the Cheery Blossom Festival, where he had demonstrated his archery skills. 'Is he even a true warrior? Did I give him too much credit?!' She thought angrily.  
  
"Get up, Urashima!" Motoko roared. "Why in the world aren't you swinging back?!"  
  
Struggling to his feet, Keitaro managed a weak smile despite the bruises covering his body. "It's just a simple practice, right?" He then offered to shake hands with Motoko. "Beside, we're friends, no need to be formal with each other, right?" With a sharp crack, everyone winced as Motoko's bokken crunched into Keitaro's chin, sending him crashing to the balcony again.  
  
"Hmph!" Motoko turned away, Her hands clenched in anger. "I'll never be friends with you, Urashima!"  
  
"Something wrong with our family name, kendo woman?"  
  
Turning in surprise, Motoko saw that there was another woman beside Kaolla tending to Keitaro's wounds, who stood up and faced the swordswoman calmly. Her long black hair was pulled back into a simple tail which fell to below her waist, with one single strand sticking up on top. She wore a simple yet tight fitting black business suit, which showed off her slim and athletic figure. Her dark eyes bore back into Motoko's with a focused hatred.  
  
"I'm impressed..." The woman spoke calmly, her tone emotionless. "It must take a lot of courage for a student of the Shinmei-Ryu to attack an unarmed man..."  
  
"You dare mock my school?!" Motoko growled, glaring at the newcomer.  
  
"Of course not." The woman replied, then grinned. "I mock you."  
  
The taunt was too much for the swordswoman to handle, and with a roar unleashed an energy wave towards the woman. As she finished the swing, she noticed with surprise that the woman now stood parallel with her, and a millisecond later a fist drove into Motoko's stomach with the force of a runaway train. Motoko collapsed onto one knee, clenching her stomach as she tried to recover from having the air knocked out of her.  
  
"Kanako, stop!"  
  
Turning, the woman's cold demeanor suddenly changed to one of joy as she ran to Keitaro, who was being helped up by Kaolla and Mutsumi. "Big brother! You're all right!" The woman smiled warmly and hugged him, making him wince slightly in pain.  
  
"Big brother?!" All the tenants blinked, staring at the woman and Keitaro.  
  
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Having brought Keitaro to his room to rest, the tenants gathered in the living room, eager to hear an explanation from the new arrival. After thanking Shinobu's hospitality and taking a sip of tea, she glanced at the group with a calm expression.  
  
"My name is Kanako Urashima," The woman began with her seemingly emotionless voice. "And as many of you heard earlier, I am the younger sister to your landlord - Keitaro Urashima."  
  
"Why don't you tell them what you do, niece?" Everyone turned to see Haruka joining the group, taking a drag from her cigarette as she sat down. "It would help everyone understand the reasons why you're here.  
  
Nodding, Kanako reached out and snuffed out Haruka's cigarette before speaking, resulting in a glare from the teashop owner and shocked looks from the tenants. "I am the financial advisor and bookkeeper to Hinata- Sou," She exclaimed, "When Granny Hina decided to go on her vacation, I went with her to ensure her safety." She then raised a hand, making those who wanted to speak pause and wait. "And before anyone asks, Granny is doing fine, and says hi to everyone."  
  
"Well that's good to hear..." Kitsune smiled, then raised an eyebrow. "But that still doesn't explain what brought you here today..."  
  
"My apoligies, Miss Konno." Kanako smiled inwardly as she gave the tenants the 'Yes, I know everything about you' look. "Granny Hina has instructed me to assist my brother with the daily operations here at Hinata-Sou, so I shall be staying here for the next few months to insure everything runs smoothly before reporting back to her."  
  
The tenants looked at each other with surprised looks, as Kanako excused herself to visit the injured landlord...  
  
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"Good afternoon, Big brother." Kanako smiled as she knelt beside Keitaro's futon. "How are you feeling today?"  
  
"Much better, getting to see you today..." Keitaro sat up with a groan, but smiled at her. "I haven't seen you for a couple years, how've you been?"  
  
"I have been fine, thank you." Kanako smiled, then withdrew and envelope from her pocket. "A present, from Granny Hina."  
  
Emptying the contents of the envelope, Keitaro glanced at the documents before looking back up at her. "She transfeered everything to my name...?" Seeing her nod, Keitaro sighed and set the papers aside. "Crazy old lady..." He muttered.  
  
"Big brother, can I ask you a question?"  
  
"Sure sis, what's up?"  
  
Sighing, Kanako glanced at the landlord's battered body before speaking. "It would seem the Aoyoma woman poses a health detriment to you, brother..." She then narrowed her eyes. "I could remove her for you, if you wish..."  
  
"No! Please don't..." Keitaro grabbed her hand and shook his head, making Kanako raise an eyebrow questioningly at her. "Whenever Motoko attacks me, it's always because I did or said something stupid... please, she did nothing wrong..."  
  
Kanako stared into her brother's eyes, trying to determine his words. "Very well then..." She nodded after a moment of silence. "I will honor your decision, though I still do not approve of her attacks against you..."  
  
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Outside Keitaro's room, Motoko heard the entire conversation between the two. She began walking back towards her room, her head hung in shame.  
  
'Keitaro was stronger than me in every sense...' She thought to herself. 'He truly is an honorable person... I must find a way to apologize to him one of these days...'  
  
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Stepping out of Keitaro's room, Kanako contemplated for a moment before walking silently to one of the rooms and knocked on its door. Seconds later the screen door slid open and the tenant blinked at her.  
  
"Oh, come in Kanako, it's cold outside!"  
  
"Thank you, Kaolla." Kanako nodded, and closed the door behind her. She then frowned at the appearance of the room, as it resembled a mad scientist's lab one would expect to see in some sci-fi film. Wires, beakers of chemicals, and computers were scattered everywhere. Smiling, the resident genius sat on her futon and huddled in a yellow sleeping kimono.  
  
"So, what can I do for you?" Kaolla asked cheerfully, as Kanako watched her silently for awhile before speaking...  
  
"Granny Hina predicted that you and my brother would fall in love..." Kanako began. "Personally, I believe he could've done better... But if he's truly happy, then I wish you two the best in your relationship." Kaolla smiled at the landlord's sister, but Kanako's eyes narrowed at her. "But, if you do anything to hurt my brother, I will guarantee you will live just long enough to regret it, understand?"  
  
Gulping nervously and remembering her confrontation with Motoko, Kaolla merely nodded. "Is there anything else you wanted to talk about, Kanako?"  
  
"No, just making sure we see eye to eye." Kanako smiled and opened the door, then paused at the doorway. "Oh, another thing..." Kaolla looked up at her, and Kanako smiled slightly. "...Let your hair down more often, it looks better that way..." With that final comment, she closed the door, leaving the resident genius alone again.  
  
'I've always been afraid it'd get caught in one of my machines...' Kaolla thought with a chuckle, then reached up and pulled out a blue ribbon hidden in her hair, causing her golden blond hair to cascade down to her lower back. 'But I suppose I can give it a shot...'  
  
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Like? No like? Please review!  
  
I personally enjoyed the cold and protective side of Kanako when it involves her brother, I still think my story isn't all that great, but thanks to all who do like it, and hope you enjoy. More coming soon! 


	8. A Love Hina Christmas

AN: Well, I'm glad that people are somehow still interested in this story... I do have an important announcement, which you can check out in my author's profile. Even though the reviews seemed to have slown down, I still would like to thank everyone of you for reading.  
  
As Always, Love Hina and its characters belong to Ken Akamatsu.  
  
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Child of the Crimson Moon  
  
Chapter 8: A Love Hina Christmas  
  
Kaolla sighed as the class instructor continued droning on regarding technology and applications that she already learned in her home country back when she was in elementary school. Toudai, as it would seem, would be as boring for her as high school. Resting her chin in one hand, she seriously contemplated about catching up on lost sleep, when a blinking icon on her laptop drew her attention. Curious and bored beyond reason, she decided to open the chat request.  
  
[Urashima, Ka.] I see you're as thrilled about this class as I am.  
  
Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the landlord's sister smile slightly at her. The two had enrolled in the same class, as each were shooting for degrees involving constant computer usage. However, both were slightly dismayed to find the class merely re-hashing what they've learned before...  
  
[Su, K.] Yeah, I'm just jumping for joy here.  
  
[Urashima, Ka.] It's not just the class, something's on your mind. Wish to talk about it after class?  
  
Kaolla smiled to herself, despite Kanako's cold exterior, the tenants have learned to accept her over the last few months of her stay. While she expected Keitaro's sister to be overprotective and constantly giving her death threats, the two have instead became good friends as they realized that they both cared for the landlord deeply.  
  
[Su, K.] Sure, over a banana shake, you're paying. ^_^  
  
[Urashima, Ka.] Cheapskate, fine.  
  
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After suffering through an hour of boredom, the two Hinata girls sat at the food court on campus, Naru soon joined them, as her class finished at the same time. The three sat in a shaded area, drawing the attention of many male students, who were always immediately turned away by the trio as if it were a daily routine.  
  
"You'd think the way men are around here that they've never seen girls before..." Naru sighed and shook her head, having just turned away another student who tried to ask her out.  
  
"I personally prefer it over the classes." Kaolla smiled. "At least it's entertaining to see which of them have creative pick-up lines!" This drew a chuckle from the group.  
  
"Well, if you two weren't looking like fashion models, they probably won't hit on you as much." Kanako commented, making the other two glance down at their choice of wardrobe. Naru wore a simple white blouse with long sleeves and a white skirt which came just abover her knees. Kaolla on the other hand was wearing a red sweater, with a pair of tight fitting jeans that showed off her curves.  
  
"Ha! You're the one to talk, Kanako!" Kaolla laughed, running a hand through her long blond hair. She decided to take up Kanako's advice in leaving her hair down when outside of her lab, but has recently begun regretting it with the unwanted attention from the male populace.  
  
"This?" Kanako smiled as she flicked an imaginary fleck of dust off her white business suit and straightened her black tie. "It's comfortable enough, and not many men want to mess with you if they think you're a lawyer by how you dress." This made the other two tenants of Hinata-Sou nod in understanding, as they took notes mentally.  
  
"So, care to talk now, or do I have to bribe you with lunch as well?" Kanako nudged Kaolla lightly with a smile, hoping to find out what was troubling her earlier.  
  
"Careful, she'll bankrupt you over a meal!" Naru cut in, and the two laughed as they knew about Kaolla's endless appetite. But the two instantly became worried that instead of leaping at the offer of a free meal, Kaolla simply sighed dejectedly and sipped at her shake quietly.  
  
"It's about Keitaro, isn't it...?" Naru asked with a concerned look, and Kaolla nodded quietly.  
  
"It's okay, Kaolla." Kanako reassured the depressed girl. "Big brother can take anything thrown at him. Besides, you should be happy he got the chance to go abroad for his studies!"  
  
"I am..." Kaolla smiled slightly. "It's just that it's been over three months, and I can't help be worried..."  
  
"We're all worried, Kaolla..." Naru comforted her, "But we're also confident that he'll be fine." She then smiled. "Well, I don't care if I go broke, but what say we go grab a bite to eat, hmm?"  
  
Despite her concerns, Kaolla couldn't help but be reassured by her friends, and agreed to lunch with a bright smile on her face...  
  
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Login: molmol354  
  
Password: *******  
  
Entry - Christmas  
  
It's been ridiculously cold over the past few days, with school even being cancelled for a couple days due to the freak blizzard we've had here. I'm just thankful that with Kanako's excellent care of the Hinata-Sou and Shinobu's wonderful cooking that everyone is able to keep warm during all of this.  
  
Tomorrow's Christmas Eve, and even though I have all my friends here for this joyous holiday, I can't help but feel empty inside when I realize that Kei won't be here with us... Of course, I'm happy that he was one of the few chosen for the foreign archelogical expedition, but I still miss him dearly...  
  
I would gladly give up all the presents in the world and stand in the freezing cold, if it would mean that I could get him back just for one night...  
  
Logoff? Y/N Y  
  
Sighing sadly, Kaolla closed her laptop and watched the snow fall silently outside of her window. Closing her eyes, she clutched the stuffed elephant Keitaro won for her at the festival close to her.  
  
"Oh, Kei.... please come back soon..." She whispered.  
  
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Morning came and was very unpleasant for the resident genius, as she cracked an eye open at the ridiculouly loud noises of what sounded like a Christmas party downstairs. Realizing that she wouldn't get any more sleep with all the noise, she decided a relaxing soak in the hot spring was in order, as it wasn't snowing at the moment.  
  
Making her way downstairs clad only in a towel, she decided to pass through the living room to see what kind of drinking game Kitsune had suckered people into, as she believed it was the only reason that everyone was laughing so loudly...  
  
"There you are, princess. Sleep well?"  
  
Kaolla froze at the voice, each of the tenants were present and smiling at her, drinking either tea or eggnog. But what drew her attention was the person sitting in the middle of the group, even though the person looked a bit on the unshaven side, and wore a casual suit instead of his normal attire, she immediately recognized the sparkle of caring eyes that only one person she knows of has...  
  
"Keitaro..." She whispered in disbelief, her mind instantly going blank at seeing the landlord.  
  
Unfortunately in her state of mind, she had forgotten to hold onto her towel and it fell to her feet. The silence lasted for what seemed to be hours before Keitaro's brain finally registered her state of undress, and his eyes bugged out momentarily before falling backwards and fainted.  
  
"Yup, that's our perv landlord alright!" Kitsune laughed as she took a gulp of her eggnog. "Although I must say, Kaolla, that was one heck of a 'welcome back' present you gave him!" This caused the tenants to roar with laughter, and made Kaolla blush furiously...  
  
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The day went past in a blur as the tenants gathered around their beloved landlord to hear the tales of his travels while abroad.There was much laughter as Shinobu cooked up a large celebration feast in honor of Christmas as well as Keitaro's return, food and drink was abundant, and the once dull atmosphere of the Hinata-Sou was filled with cheer again...  
  
After piling a ridiculous amount of presents for everyone beneath the Christmas tree, Keitaro walked outside onto the balcony to watch the stars as everyone slept. As he watched the snow fall slowly around him, he noticed a blanket being wrapped around him, and looked down to see Kaolla smiling up at him warmly, huddled in the blanket with him.  
  
"You should get back inside, it's cold out here..." Keitaro whispered, wrapping his arms around her under the blanket.  
  
"It's warm enough when I'm with you..." Kaolla replied softly, resting against him.  
  
The two remained silent in each other's arms for awhile, before Keitaro decided to break the silence. "Kaolla...?" Seeing her look up at him, he continued. "I'm really sorry about being away for so long, it's just..." The rest of his words were cut off as she placed a finger to his lips and smiled.  
  
"There's no need for apoligies, Kei..." She whispered. "But we do have some catching up to do, wouldn't you say?" Seeing him smile, she pulled him close and kissed him with all of her heart, making the months of lonliness just a distant memory. As the clock inside the dorm tolled for the midnight hour, the two slowly broke the kiss and smiled warmly at each other.  
  
"Merry Christmas, my beloved landlord..."  
  
"Merry Christmas, my princess..."  
  
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Like? No like? Please review!  
  
Hey folks, sorry if the chapter seemed short in comparison to ones from before, but between filing taxes for my family and lack of sleep, I did what I could. Hope you folks enjoyed, and please visit my author profile for a big announcement! More to come soon! 


	9. For the one I love

AN: Hello again, I'd like to take a second to address two topics that have popped up in my reviews, and hopefully will clear things up:  
  
First of all, while I do read lemons, I have no real desire to write them per se. I do occasionally seek them out in order to further my writing skills on descriptions of people, but is not really a writing style for me. Sorry.  
  
Second, yes... I do realize the last two chapters seemed a bit lacking, but with Kanako needing to be introduced and a lack of proper dreams, it just came out that way. My apologies to those who think I'm a bit slacking, as I'll try my best in the future.  
  
As always, Love Hina and its characters belong to Ken Akamatsu.  
  
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Child of the Crimson Moon  
  
Chapter 9: For the one I love  
  
"Today is the day, isn't it?" Motoko asked as she went through a series of katas - dancelike moves which helped keep her fit while honing her warrior arts. Her hair spun with her body as she swung her bokken with grace, and after a few more swings she decided to take a break, wiping her forehead with her gi.  
  
"It sure is." Kanako replied, having been watching the swordswoman practice from one side of the balcony. "You know, my Big brother never had much luck with women until he came to Hinata-Sou, so we should make this a Valentine's Day he won't forget."  
  
"He's already happy as things are with Kaolla." Motoko raised an eyebrow as she resumed her training, shooting out three consecutive energy waves at Kanako, who dodged them with ease. "Why should we become involved in a holiday of lovers, when we are only his friends?"  
  
"You're right in regarding the holiday being special for couples." Kanako replied, dodging to one side to avoid another attack before lashing out herself, pinning Motoko's bokken under her foot without breaking a sweat. "But that doesn't stop us from showing we care for him just the same."  
  
"Point taken."  
  
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Shinobu hummed to herself cheerfully as she worked on the morning breakfast for the Hinata-Sou, and smiled cheerfully at Naru and Mutsumi as they entered the kitchen - which Kitsune had joked by calling it Shinobu's territory.  
  
"Your cooking smells as delightful as ever, Shinobu!" Naru smiled as she praised the master chef, who beamed happily as she chopped vegetables for another dish. Glancing in the oven to take a sneak peek, she quickly did a double take before her jaw dropped in amazement.  
  
"Is that what I think it is?!" Naru gasped, Mutsumi peeked in as well.  
  
"Ah, that's right!" Mutsumi smiled. "Today's Valentine's Day!" She then tapped her chin in thought. "That's not good... I haven't gotten any choclates for Kei yet..."  
  
"Shinobu!" Naru begged at the master chef's feet, who looked baffled. "I know I suck at cooking, but you have to help me! Can you teach me how to bake some choclate chip cookies?"  
  
Shinobu laughed and helped Naru to her feet, "All you have to do is ask! Come on, I'll help you both..."  
  
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Keitaro slowly stirred from his sleep, wondering what all the noise downstairs was about. Not being fully awake, he tried to sit up only to be gently pushed back down by a soft hand. Looking up and adjusting his vision with his glasses, he smiled as Kaolla's face came into focus.  
  
"My my..." Kaolla smiled warmly, her sleeping kimono slipping somewhat off her shoulders, allowing Keitaro a peek at the bra she wore underneath. "Is sleeping with me so bad that you're in a hurry to get out of bed?" She teased with a warm smile.  
  
"Not at all..." Keitaro smiled back, pulling her down into a soft kiss. "I was just wondering what all the commotion downstairs is about..."  
  
"That?" Kaolla chuckled. "It's Valentine's Day, silly... They're probably scrambling around trying to make choclate treats."  
  
"That's right...!" Keitaro smiled. "They must have some lucky boyfriends, getting choclates like that from them..."  
  
"Silly landlord..." Kaolla giggled. "Have you ever thought of the possibility that they might be making them for you?" Seeing his surprised expression, she continued. "You've been an absolute sweetheart to each and everyone of us, so I'm sure that will be the case."  
  
"And this doesn't make you jealous in the slightest bit?" Keitaro teased, and received a pillow to the head with a laugh.  
  
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"Ah, there you are!"  
  
Having gotten dressed, the couple entered the hallway to see Kitsune walk in their direction. Upon reaching the landlord, she grinned in the fashion of her namesake and pulled out a wrapped bottle.  
  
"Here ya go, Happy Valentine's Day, ya perv!" Kitsune giggled.  
  
"Um, thanks...?" Keitaro raised an eyebrow, then decided to take off the wrapping to check the vintage. Partway through, he realized with surprise that the bottle itself was made of choclate, and shook it slightly to discover there was indeed liquid inside.  
  
"Took awhile to find something like that, we'll share that bottle sometime, okay?" Kitsune smiled and patted Keitaro's cheek before walking off.  
  
"Good morning Kaolla, Big brother..."  
  
Keitaro turned, and smiled as Kanako and Motoko stood before him. "Good morning!" He replied cheerfully, then smiled at Kaolla. "Do you mind if I talk to them alone for a second?"  
  
"Fine..." Kaolla pouted, then winked at the two women. "Better keep your hands off him though, he's mine!" This drew laughs from the group as Kaolla walked away.  
  
"Everything's done as you've asked, Big brother." Kanako whispered, being careful even when Kaolla is out of earshot.  
  
"As is the preparations on my end, Keitaro." Motoko nodded, "We both will be looking forward to this."  
  
"Thanks, you two." Keitaro smiled. "This means a lot to me."  
  
"We're not gourmet chefs like Shinobu." Kanako replied with a smile. "Consider this our Valentine's present to you..."  
  
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As Keitaro and the other tenants walked downstairs, they could not helped but be amazed at the amount of choclate treats and desserts which covered most of the kitchen counters. The shocked landlord was the first to recover, and turned to the three tenants wearing cooking aprons and oven mitts...  
  
"You three made all of this?" Keitaro blinked, then smiled to himself as he imagined what his guy friends would say if they saw that all this choclate was made in his honor.  
  
"Not quite, I only baked the cake." Shinobu smiled, gesturing to a lone choclate cake in a sea of cookies, wafers, and other sweets. "The rest were made by Naru and Mutsumi, you can kind of tell that they got carried away..." This made everyone laugh, and Keitaro thanked the women for their kindness as everyone settled down for breakfast...  
  
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As evening came, Keitaro surprised everyone by inviting them to a restaurant dinner as an appreciation gesture for a wonderful Valentine's Day. All the tenants politely refused at first, thinking of the amount of money he would be spending. But after making it clear that he wouldn't take 'no' for an answer, the tenants reluctantly agreed.  
  
Upon arriving, the tenants were further surprised that Keitaro had brought them to a Western cuisine restaurant, which was notoriously expensive in Japan. Despite everyone's worries for the landlord's budget, he happily reassured them to not worry and simply enjoy dinner. The food and drink was unlike anything any of the tenants had the pleasure of partaking, and were greatly pleased.  
  
Towards the end of the meal, Kitsune cleared her throat and raised her wine glass. "To our beloved landlord," She grinned. "For being the greatest man I've ever had the pleasure of meeting!" The group cheered and raised their glass, then teased Keitaro for a speech, who eventually stood to everyone cheering.  
  
"I'd like to thank each and everyone of you for sharing this wonderful Valentine's Day with me." Keitaro began with a smile. "Each of you hold a special place in my heart, some more than others..." He smiled at Kaolla, who smiled back at him warmly. "There are no better friends I could ever ask for, and for that I thank you all." This drew a smile from everyone at the table, and Keitaro cleared his throat before continuing.  
  
"Being the landlord has been like a pleasant dream that I would never want to wake up from, as each of you are like family to me..." He smiled as he raised his glass, which the tenants also did. "And should any of you be willing to put up with this pervert, you're all welcome to stay at the Hinata-Sou for as long as you want." This drew laughs from around the table before Keitaro continued on...  
  
"However, there is one person I'd like to thank in particular on this very special day..." Keitaro smiled as he turned to Kaolla. "A very special someone who has captured my heart, who I would give anything to spend the rest of my life with..."  
  
Drawing surprised looks and gasps from everyone present, Keitaro went down on one knee before Kaolla and withdrew a diamond ring from his pocket. "I want to ask, with my closest friends here tonight..." The landlord smiled at Kaolla's stunned expression. "If you'll marry me...?"  
  
Leaping out of her chair, Kaolla bowled Keitaro over and kissed him deeply, clinging onto him as if she were afraid of losing him. Everyone at the table, including the rest of the restaurant smiled and applauded in approval at the happy couple.  
  
"Does that answer your question, silly...?" Kaolla smiled at him after they broke their kiss, her face covered in tears of joy...  
  
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Five years later...  
  
A warm summer day, perfect for a getaway at the beach...  
  
And that just exactly what the crew of the Hinata-Sou did. The women laughed as they played beach volleyball or simply relaxed to enjoy a healthy tan. As usual, such a gathering of many beautiful women drew the attention of men all over the beach, much to the dismay of many girlfriends of said men...  
  
A happy couple watched on the sidelines of the volleyball game, laughing and cheering whenever someone made a beautiful play. Kaolla Urashima smiled behind a pair of sunglasses, looking as fit as she did at eighteen as she wore a two-piece yellow bikini with white stripes, and a nearly transparent green sash which wrapped around her waist and covered her legs.  
  
"It sure seems like a dream everyday, doesn't it?" She asked with a smile.  
  
"If it is, I don't want to wake up from it..." Her husband replied, also smiling.  
  
"Poppa! Momma!"  
  
Turning, the couple smiled as they watched two kids run up to them. One was a boy with spiky black hair and deep brown eyes, while the other was a girl who had long white hair and emerald green eyes. The boy smiled up brightly at the couple, while the girl sat down beside him, looking exhausted from the run.  
  
"Poppa!" The young boy beamed. "Auntie Kanako wants to take us swimming, is that okay with you and Momma?"  
  
"Of course, Sho." Kaolla smiled. "Just be sure to take your sister Yuki with you and keep an eye out, okay?" The boy cheered and took his sister by her hand, and the two soon ran off to join some of the tenants which were by the water's edge.  
  
"They both got your looks and brains, you know..." Keitaro smiled at his wife.  
  
"Flattery will get you nowhere, sweetie..." Kaolla smiled back, then lowered her sunglasses and winked. "...Not in public, at least..." The two laughed, then kissed tenderly for a long time before resting in each other's arms.  
  
"I love you, Kaolla..."  
  
"I love you too, Kei..."  
  
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Like? No like? Please Review!  
  
Hope you enjoyed the final chapter! Please make sure you tune in to the sequel to this series, titled "For Love and Honor." Thank you for reading! 


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